The temples of Angkor (strictly speaking, the name `Angkor Wat’ is applied only to the largest temple in the complex of 100 temples) were built over a period of about 30 years, between 879 AD, and 1191 AD. This was the period that saw the glorious ancient Khmer Empire reach the zenith of power; the empire stretched from southern Vietnam to Yunan (in China), and to the Bay of Bengal. The epicentre of the empire was the city of Angkor in North West Cambodia, and it was from the citadel of Angkor Thom, established by Jayavarman II, that the Khmer kings ruled. The Khmer rulers were staunch Hindus, and they built the huge complex of Angkor Wat- the principal temples of the empire- in reverence to the Hindu Gods, and also as a symbol of their own divine right - one of the Khmer kings, Devaraja, had even assumed the title of god-king, and was worshipped by his subjects. King Suryavarman who built Angkor Wat, identified himself with the Hindu God Vishnu.

In the year 1431, Thai armies attacked Angkor, and a year later, the city was deserted by the Khmers. Thus set in a period of desolation, which was to last for centuries altogether-Angkor Wat was lost to the world, and seen only by itinerant Buddhist monks who embroidered their stories of the mysterious lost temples with fables of gods who had built the shrines. The temples remained isolated for years; adventurous European travellers reported having seen signs of it, but these tales were usually passed off as tall tales- until the Frenchman, Henri Mouhot, brought Angkor to the world’s attention in 1860. The French spearheaded a restoration project in 1908- a project that has continued up to the 1970s and 1980s.

Today, Angkor is in fairly good condition, but doubts are being raised by experts on what  the effects of the huge influx of tourists will be on these old monuments.