Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire in present-day Cambodia.
Angkor was a vast urban and religious centre that flourished from roughly the ninth to the fifteenth centuries. It served as the heart of the Khmer Empire, whose rulers controlled much of mainland Southeast Asia at its height. The wider Angkor region included temples, reservoirs, canals, roads, and residential areas.
The best-known monument is Angkor Wat, built in the early twelfth century under King Suryavarman II. Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, it later became a Buddhist temple. Another major complex, the Bayon, was constructed under Jayavarman VII and is known for its monumental stone faces.
Angkor is often treated as if it were only a temple site, but archaeological research shows that it was a complex urban landscape supported by sophisticated water management. Droughts, floods, political change, and shifts in regional power contributed to the decline of its central importance, although Khmer communities continued living in the area.