Guide to UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Yet another wondrous temple built by the great king Jayavarman VII. One day, this king decided to start building temples left and right. He built Ta Prohm to honor his mother, Preah Khan to honor his father, and Bayon to honor the most important person in a man’s life, his wife ..mself. I have to admit that when I first went to Cambodia, Preah Khan was my least favorite of the four main temples. I originally felt like Read more
Angkor Thom is a bit unique compared to the other sites within the ancient city of Angkor in that it is not just a temple, but a city. It was actually the longest lasting capital city during the era of the Khmer Empire (802-1431) and can be thought of as a town within the larger city of Angkor. The great king Javayarman VII built this city around the same time as Ta Prohm and is most famous for its central temple called the ‘Bayon.’
The place that most people think about when they plan a visit to the ancient city of Angkor is Angkor Wat. Built in the 1100s, Angkor Wat has stood the test of time by remaining mostly intact and extremely well preserved over the past nine centuries, given Cambodia’s turbulent past. It is the largest religious structure in the world and looks more like a huge walled city than a temple.
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Location: (near) Siem Reap, Cambodia
Visited: July, 2010
Site Type: Cultural
Inscribed: 1992
Opinion and Background: Whenever I visit a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, a fantastic temple, or any other amazing place for that matter, I have a habit of asking myself, “Was it ‘Angkor’ good?” Angkor, in many ways, is my example of a location that is worth the travel expenses to see with your own eyes, no matter how far it may be. I don’t really say this often, but the ancient Khmer city of Angkor is something that you must see before you die. Yes, it is that good.