Head deep into the Cambodian jungle to discover the lost city of Angkor – a religious monument said to be the largest one on earth. Giant tree roots strangle many temples, exquisite bas-reliefs tell ancient stories, and massive sandstones lie on the ground. In Khmer, the Cambodian language, Angkor Wat means »City of Temples«.

➥ Step back in time with the top 9 mind-blowing facts about this mysterious temple complex hidden deep in the lush jungle.

01

THE LARGEST MONUMENT ON THE PLANET

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument on the planet. It is spread across over 400 acres/1.6 km² and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, which encouraged an international effort to save the complex.

02

THE GREATEST KINGDOM OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

The city of Angkor served as the royal centre from which a dynasty of Khmer kings ruled one of the largest, most prosperous, and most sophisticated kingdoms in the history of Southeast Asia.

03

FEATURED ON THE CAMBODIAN FLAG

Since around 1850, Angkor Wat has been featured in the center of the national flag of Cambodia, as if to show their incredible pride in the ancient monument. Their pride is also reflected by putting images from Angkor Wat on many denominations of the riel (Cambodia's currency).

04

THE CITY OF ANGKOR WAS SHARED BY TWO RELIGIONS

It was originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, breaking the previous kings' tradition of worshiping Shaiva. It gradually turned into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century and is still used for worship today.

05

BUILT WITHOUT ANY MACHINERY

Five million sandstone blocks used were quarried from the holy mountain of Phnom Kulen, around 50 kilometers away from the site and without the aid of any machinery, as there was no machinery available at the time of the 12th century. The heaviest block weighs up to 1.500 kilograms.
The workers had to get creative, which is why it's thought that the sandstone was transported to the Siem Reap River using canals and then floated down the river on rafts. The construction of Angkor Wat is thought to have taken approximately 30 years, 300.000 laborers and 6.000 elephants. 🐘 🐘 🐘

06

LARA CROFT'S »TOMB RAIDER« WAS PRODUCED HERE

This famous Hollywood movie was filmed in Angkor temple »Ta Prohm«. Paramount was charged USD 10.000 per day to shoot at the location. Fun Fact - Angelina Jolie's first adopted son was from an orphanage in Cambodia.

07

THE STEGOSAURUS MYTH

There is a famous »stegosaurus« carving at »Ta Prohm« temple. Depending on who you listen to, this carving is proof that the ancient Khmer had knowledge of dinosaurs or even had seen them during their time. It is even suspected that this relief shows a domesticated dinosaur, due to the neck strap and the muzzle-like formations on the dinosaur's head. Read more: 🦖

08

SMILING FACES ON STONE

The Bayon temple is peculiar because it consists of 200 smiling faces built with stone. The locals believe that praying in front of them gives good luck and prosperity, although it remains a mystery as to why the faces are smiling.

09

REACHING FOR THE STARS

Astronomy had a significant influence on the structure of Angkor Wat. The main temple has an observation deck to watch the Sun and the Moon. The outer wall axis around the complex is precisely equal to the solar years in days, and its perimeter is equal to the lunar year in days.