Angkor Wat

Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

Freely accessible

Public space — no opening hours to check.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Opening hours: 5:00-17:30

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

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Angkor Wat is the largest religious complex in the world, located in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, within the ancient capital of Angkor. Built between 1113 and 1150 CE during the reign of Khmer king Suryavarman II, it was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and is thought to have served as the king's mausoleum. The complex combines temple-mountain and galleried temple forms characteristic of Khmer architecture, with its layout symbolizing Mount Meru, a sacred cosmological concept in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Covering 162.6 hectares, it is surrounded by a broad moat and features three progressively elevated galleries rising toward a central quincunx of towers. The temple is noted for its monumental scale, extensive bas-reliefs, and architectural unity, and unusually among Angkorian temples, is oriented toward the west. From the late 13th century onward, it was gradually transformed into a Theravada Buddhist temple and has remained an active center of Buddhist worship ever since. The monument fell into disuse before 20th-century restoration efforts, coordinated by UNESCO's International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor, established in 1993. Today it stands as Cambodia's most enduring cultural and national symbol, appearing on the nation's flag.