Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer civilization in central Cambodia, is one of the most magnificent historical sites in southeast Asia. Nearly 600,000 foreign tourists arrive each year to visit Angkor’s famous temple structures: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (including the Bayon Temple) and Banteay Srei.

The structures at Angkor are highly synergistic, incorporating design elements from manifold sources.  Given the resulting complexity of Angkor’s sites, we developed this travel guide to help visitors fully appreciate their significance by providing a framework that facilitates:

• understanding of the historical context of the Khmer civilization;
• making connections and drawing comparisons among Angkor’s individual sites;
• understanding of how the architecture at Angkor was influenced by Buddhist and Hindu religious architecture in other parts of the world.

With this goal in mind, this ApproachGuide offers:

• a detailed review of the background and history of the temples of Angkor.
• description and characteristic elements of Khmer architecture.
• individual site reviews of the three most impactful temples at Angkor (including Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Bayon; and Banteay Srei); as part of each site, we provide information on its history, religious orientation, layout, characteristic architectural elements, historical and cross-cultural influences, and sculptural (relief) decoration.
• a brief, but comprehensive history of the Khmer Empire.

Download a FREE PREVIEW (4 of 17 pages)

Price $9.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)

Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

All Approach Guides are offered as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed immediately after purchase.

Angkor Thom in Angkor, Cambodia