Angkor history

Angkor, the Principle City of the Khmer Empire from the 9th through 13th centuries, reigned over the huge area that comprises modern day Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. Throughout this 500 year period, the Khmers constructed many temples and Buddhist monasteries in the Southeast Asia region. Today, Angkor temple ruins are seen in numerous ancient sites in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

The largest complex and best preserved of these temple areas is Angkor Wat which reflects the political and cultural power of the Khmer Empire. Angkor Wat is situated in Siem Reap province of Cambodia and is comprised of numerous temple ruins set in a region of 400 square kms located north of Siem Reap city and Tonle Sap Lake.

The dwindle of Khmer Empire Power

The Angkor era started in 819 A.D. when King Jayavarman II (802-850) shifted a Khmer settlement to present day Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and thereafter the settlement became the administrative center of the Khmer empire. Later, during the rule of King Suryavarman II (1113-1150), when the Angkor Wat temple was constructed, the Cham people based in Champa in the East (currently Vietnam) started armed incursions and sacked Angkor.

After the death of King Suryavarman II plus the Cham intrusion, Angkor was penetrated and ransacked by the Siamese (Thai) forces, located in the western part of the Khmer Empire. These types of Thai military forces were employed by the Khmer King to push back the Cham intruders. From that time on, the Cham and also the Thai armies occupied and ransacked the Angkor cities, including Angkor Wat.

King Jayavarman VII (1181-1215), who constructed the city of Angkor Thom, struggled and repelled the penetrating Chams and Thais. The glory of the Khmers and Angkor Empire had been once again restored. However, this resurgence was short lived. The Empire started to fall following the death of King Jayavarman VII. The Thais in the west and also the intruders from the east, on this occasion the Vietnamese, regularly performed armed incursions and occupied Angkor cites, and the Khmer Empire's peripheral territories were gradually lost.

After the grab of Angkor from the Thais in 1431, Khmers transferred their own capital from Angkor towards Phnom Penh leaving Angkor Wat vacant-to be overgrown by the jungle for the next 500 years. From the early 15th century till the late 19th century, Buddhist monks resided in Angkor making Angkor the biggest spiritual pilgrimage area in South East Asia.

The Angkor Wat Restoration

The decline of Khmer territory continued until 1863 when France set up a colonial regime that reigned over Cambodia till 1953. Angkor ruins were found by French specialists in 1920, and then an extensive plan of Angkor temple restoration, as well as archeological research sponsored by the French government started.

The refurbishment activities were stopped at the end of the 1960's during the political turmoil and civil war in Cambodia. During the conflict, Angkor temples and cities, including Angkor Wat, experienced serious damage and wide-spread looting. Many of the temples, artifacts, statues, and various sculptures were damaged or stolen during the civil war years.

The actual civil conflict finally ended in the early 1990's, and the refurbishment plan of Angkor was re-started. Since then, the rebuilding of Angkor Wat has been sponsored by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Social Agency) and has been classified as a World Heritage Site. Today, Angkor is once more open to visitors worldwide. The number of foreign visitors from all over the world continues to increase each year due to the wonderfully restored beauty and marvelous grandeur of the Angkor Wat ruins, accommodations in the Siem Reap area, and hospitality of the Cambodian people.

Click here to see more : Angkor Wat photo gallary

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