The Khmer Empire built the city of Angkor, including the temple complex Angkor Wat.
Angkor served as the political and religious center of the Khmer Empire in present-day Cambodia. Its rulers constructed enormous reservoirs, canals, roads, temples, and urban settlements across a landscape that supported a large population.
King Suryavarman II commissioned Angkor Wat in the early twelfth century. The temple was initially dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and later became an important Buddhist site. Its galleries contain extensive bas-reliefs depicting religious stories, royal processions, and battles.
Angkor was not simply a collection of isolated temples. It was a complex urban and hydraulic system whose infrastructure helped sustain the capital. The archaeological area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.