Angkor Wat, Buddhist temple in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is a Buddhist temple in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built from five stone towers that rise from three rectangular galleries. A moat more than three miles (5 kilometers) long surrounds the compound completely, reflecting the towers at dawn.
King Suryavarman II ordered the temple built around 1122 for the Hindu god Vishnu, and work finished around 1150 during the height of the Khmer Empire. Later centuries saw it transform into a Buddhist monastery without removing the old stone carvings.
Monks in saffron robes arrive each morning to meditate and pray, reminding visitors of the site's ongoing religious significance. Locals often light incense sticks and leave offerings before the Buddha statues placed throughout the ancient galleries.
Visitors should arrive early in the morning to avoid crowds and catch the best light for photography, especially during the rainy season from May to October. Paths between the galleries can be uneven, so comfortable shoes are important.
The temple faces west instead of east, which is unusual and may point to its original role as a funerary monument. Scholars believe this orientation relates to ideas about death in Hindu cosmology.
Location: Siem Reap Province
Inception: 12 century
Founders: Jayavaraman II, Khmer people
Creator: Jayavaraman II, Khmer Empire
Architectural style: Thai architecture, Dravidian architecture
Elevation above the sea: 65 m
Part of: Angkor
Address: Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
Opening Hours: 5:00-17:30
Phone: +85563765577
Website: https://angkorenterprise.gov.kh/temple/65/angkor-wat
GPS coordinates: 13.41250,103.86667
Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:13
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Terrace of Honor
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South Gate
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North Gate
107 mWork of art, sculpture
102 mWork of art, sculpture
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65 mStatue of Vishnu
527 mSculpture, Work of art
163 mWork of art, sculpture
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101 mSunrise spot
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779 mWork of art, sculpture
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877 mScenic viewpoint
280 mScenic viewpoint
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548 mព្រះពុទ្ធ
281 mព្រះពុទ្ធមាស
281 mTomb
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