8 Striking Lost Cities and Structures Reclaimed by Nature
5. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
A tree grows around Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor, Cambodia.
Image Credit: DeltaOFF / Shutterstock
The sprawling temple complex of Angkor Wat, in northern Cambodia, was built in the first half of the 12th century by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire. It’s one of the most cherished and remarkable archeological sites in Southeast Asia, and the largest religious structure in the world, home to at least 1,000 buildings and covering some 400km².
Parts of Angkor Wat that are still standing today were first built almost a millennium ago. In the intervening years, the buildings and the landscapes in which they exist have become intertwined, with trees and plants growing through, over and around man-made structures. Given its scale, the sprawling site is still used for a diverse range of purposes, from religious ceremonies to rice cultivation.
A tree grows around Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor, Cambodia.
Image Credit: DeltaOFF / Shutterstock
The sprawling temple complex of Angkor Wat, in northern Cambodia, was built in the first half of the 12th century by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire. It’s one of the most cherished and remarkable archeological sites in Southeast Asia, and the largest religious structure in the world, home to at least 1,000 buildings and covering some 400km².
Parts of Angkor Wat that are still standing today were first built almost a millennium ago. In the intervening years, the buildings and the landscapes in which they exist have become intertwined, with trees and plants growing through, over and around man-made structures. Given its scale, the sprawling site is still used for a diverse range of purposes, from religious ceremonies to rice cultivation.
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