/ Angkor Wat (2004)

For centuries, Angkor Wat was a legend.
Its immense temples were believed to be the work of gods or giants. After the city was rediscovered in the Cambodian jungle in 1860, archaeologists gradually began to unravel its history.

Angkor Wat dates back to the ninth century and was once the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire. During the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge—from the late 1960s onward—the temples served as military shelters.

In 1998, the political climate became stable enough for national borders to reopen, turning Angkor Wat into one of Southeast Asia’s most important tourist destinations. Today, the site attracts busloads of visitors every day. Coming from all parts of the world, they become an attraction in their own right.