Ta Prohm, Buddhist temple ruins in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Ta Prohm is a sprawling temple complex in the jungle of Siem Reap where stone walls and towers merge with the roots of giant trees. The structure consists of several walled courtyards, galleries with flat roofs, and narrow passages that wind between the toppled stones.

A king of the Khmer Empire built the temple in the late 12th century as a monastery and place of learning, dedicating it to his mother. After the empire's decline, the complex was abandoned and the jungle grew through the buildings.

The modern name Ta Prohm means "Ancestor Brahma"; the temple was founded as Rajavihara, "Royal Monastery". Its stele records 12,500 residents on site, among them 18 high priests and 615 dancers, plus 80,000 villagers supplying the monastery. Reliefs mix Hindu mythology with Buddhist subjects, including Siddhartha Gautama leaving his parents' home on a horse whose hooves gods support to muffle the sound.

The paths between the stones are uneven and sometimes slippery, so sturdy footwear and slow walking are recommended. A visit usually takes one to two hours depending on how much time you spend exploring individual sections.

The École française d'Extrême-Orient chose Ta Prohm to be left as found, a deliberate "concession to the general taste for the picturesque." The trees gripping the ruins are strangler figs (Ficus virens) and the larger Tetrameles nudiflora, whose roots cover whole buildings. The temple also served as a set for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).