Published
28 Apr 2021, 08:06 BST
Angkor, the former seat of Cambodia’s Khmer Empire, is a sprawling complex that has become one of Southeast Asia’s best-known landmarks. Exploring Ta Prohm — one of the complex's many temples — is like walking onto the Hollywood film set. Famously, the 2001 film
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, directed by Simon West, was filmed here.
Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor
One of the gateways to Ta Prohm. The temple, whose construction took place in the 12th and 13th centuries, is among the more distinctly evocative complexes of Angkor.
Photograph by Mark Parren Taylor
Deep in the forest and enclosed by a moat, the vast Angkor Thom complex surrounding Bayon Temple is a regal feast of architecture. The final capital of the Khmer Empire, the ‘Great City’ is accessed by four gates that align with the main points of the compass. Each portal is crowned with an ornate stone tower, carved into which is a giant, crumbling face. The faces — at once serene and strong — are all said to be that of King Jayavarman VII, who ruled the Khmer Empire in the 12th century.