Must see in Cambodia: The Temple of Angkor Wat:

What is Angkor Wat

The Buddhistic Temple Complex of Angkor Wat is a major ruined city situated in the northern part of Cambodia. In the period from 800-1400 AC this city was the center in the empire of Angkor . In 2007, an international team of researchers using modern techniques concluded that the area have been the largest pre-industrial city in the world. It is assumes that the city during its climax was home for around one million people.

After the empire’s fall, the city died out and the forest tooks over. In the end of the 19th century the French rediscovered the temples in the jungle and started a long restoration process. Remarkable dams and residuals of ancient channel system occur around the temple which is the evidences of a wealthy empire and the cultivation of rice on the surrounding fields.

The Temple of Angkor Wat Cambodia

The center of the city is Angkor Thom, which is the actually city surrounded by city walls and water. The most famous buildings are Angkor Wat south of Thom and Bayon within the city. The Buddhist Temple Complex of Angkor Wat is situated near the ruined city of Angkor. The temple is admired for its grandeur and harmony in its architecture and it is indeed a must see in Cambodia.

What is the biggest tourist attraction in Cambodia

Cambodia uses the temple as its national symbol. Since around 1850, the Cambodian flag has featured a depiction of Angkor Wat in the center and is indeed the biggest tourist attraction in the country and a must see on your travel bucket list. The number of visitors approach two million annually. The extra income from the tourists has been used to the modern restoration of the complex.

Back in 1992, the entire Angkor area was classified as a World Heritage Site on UNESCO’s list.