Angkor is the ancient Cambodian city that contains the temple complex Angkor Wat.
Angkor served as the centre of the Khmer Empire from approximately the ninth to the fifteenth centuries. Its rulers built an extensive urban and religious landscape supported by reservoirs, canals, roads, and temples. The remains lie in northwestern Cambodia near modern Siem Reap.
Angkor Wat was constructed in the early twelfth century under King Suryavarman II. It was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and later became a Buddhist site. The wider Angkor archaeological park includes other famous monuments, such as Bayon and Ta Prohm, so Angkor Wat is only one part of the ancient urban complex.
People often use “Angkor Wat” to mean the entire archaeological site, but the name properly identifies the great temple itself. Angkor is the broader historic city and region, whose water-management system helped sustain a very large population.