Angkor is the ancient city that is home to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument.
Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire in what is now Cambodia. Its urban complex flourished from approximately the ninth to the fifteenth centuries and included temples, reservoirs, roads, and settlements spread across a large area.
King Suryavarman II commissioned Angkor Wat in the early twelfth century. The temple was originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and later became an important Buddhist site. Its galleries contain extensive bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and Khmer royal imagery.
Angkor Wat is often used as if it were the name of the whole ancient city, but the terms refer to different things: Angkor is the broader urban and archaeological complex, while Angkor Wat is its most famous temple. Cambodia features Angkor Wat on its national flag.