Temple · Hindu
Angkor Wat
Siem Reap, Cambodia
UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1992)
Temple · Hindu
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is the world's largest religious monument, originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu before gradually transitioning into a Buddhist site — a layered religious history reflected throughout its architecture today.
Built to represent Mount Meru, the cosmic axis of Hindu (and Buddhist) cosmology, the temple's five towers and extensive bas-reliefs depicting Hindu epics — the Ramayana and Mahabharata — remain among the most significant surviving examples of Hindu religious art in Southeast Asia.
Constructed in the early 12th century under King Suryavarman II, the temple was gradually converted to Theravada Buddhist use from around the 13th–14th century onward and remains an active Buddhist site today alongside its status as a historical monument.
November to March (dry, cooler season); sunrise visits are popular but very crowded.
Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is required for entry to the upper levels; a separate ticket system applies for the wider Angkor Archaeological Park.