From the first pre-Angkorian cities to the majestic temples of Angkor, discover 10 essential historical sites to explore over fifteen centuries of Cambodian history.
Cambodia possesses one of the most remarkable historical heritages in Southeast Asia. While Angkor Wat is naturally its most famous symbol, the country's history can be discovered through a multitude of temples, ancient cities, and memorial sites spread throughout the kingdom.
From the early civilizations that preceded the Khmer Empire to ancient royal capitals, these sites allow us to retrace over fifteen centuries of Cambodian history.
Here is our selection of 10 historical sites to visit in Cambodia to better understand the richness of the Khmer heritage and civilization.
1. Angkor Wat: the symbol of Cambodia
It is impossible to mention the historical sites of Cambodia without starting with Angkor Wat.
Built in the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II, this gigantic temple was initially dedicated to Vishnu. It later gradually became an important place of Buddhist worship.
Angkor Wat impresses as much by its dimensions as by the precision of its architecture. Its galleries are adorned with vast bas-reliefs depicting religious narratives, battle scenes, and episodes from Hindu mythology.
The temple belongs to the vast Angkor archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992. The park covers approximately 400 km² and gathers the remains of several successive capitals of the Khmer Empire.
Today, the five characteristic towers of Angkor Wat have become a true national symbol, to the point of appearing in the center of the Cambodian flag.
2. Angkor Thom and the Bayon: the city of Jayavarman VII
A few kilometers from Angkor Wat lies Angkor Thom, the last great capital of the Khmer Empire.
The city was developed at the end of the 12th century during the reign of Jayavarman VII, one of the most important sovereigns in Cambodian history.
At its center stands the spectacular Bayon.
The temple is immediately recognizable thanks to the immense sculpted faces that dominate its towers. Their exact identity continues to fuel discussion: they are notably associated with the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and the royal iconography of Jayavarman VII.
The bas-reliefs of the Bayon are just as fascinating. Alongside military and religious scenes appear depictions of markets, fishing, cooking, and numerous scenes of daily life.
Angkor Thom thus offers a true immersion into Khmer society at the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century.
3. Ta Prohm: where nature meets Khmer architecture
Ta Prohm offers a very different atmosphere.
Built under Jayavarman VII starting at the end of the 12th century, the temple is now famous for the immense trees whose roots entwine its walls, galleries, and towers.
This spectacular encounter between stone and vegetation has become one of the most recognizable images of Angkor.
But Ta Prohm also possesses a remarkable history. The complex was an important Buddhist religious establishment and was part of the vast architectural program developed under Jayavarman VII.
Along with Angkor Wat, the Bayon, and Preah Khan, Ta Prohm is one of the architectural masterpieces explicitly highlighted by UNESCO to illustrate the richness of the Angkor site.
4. Koh Ker: the forgotten ancient capital
About 80 kilometers northeast of Angkor lies one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Cambodia: Koh Ker.
Founded by King Jayavarman IV, the city became a capital of the Khmer Empire starting in 921. It remained the political center of the kingdom until 944, before power returned to Angkor.
Its most spectacular monument is Prasat Thom, dominated by an imposing multi-tiered pyramidal structure.
The city was built during a relatively short period of about twenty-three years, which explains the remarkable architectural coherence of the whole.
Long less frequented than Angkor, Koh Ker offers another vision of the power of the Khmer Empire.
The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2023.
5. Preah Vihear: a spectacular temple on the mountain summit
Near the Thai border, the temple of Preah Vihear stands out for its spectacular location.
Built on the edge of a plateau overlooking the Cambodian plain, the sanctuary is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
The architectural ensemble extends along an axis of about 800 meters, composed of sanctuaries connected by staircases and causeways.
While the history of the site dates back to the 9th century, a large part of the current temple dates from the first half of the 11th century.
Its architecture was designed in close relationship with the surrounding terrain, offering an impressive succession of perspectives leading to the summit.
Preah Vihear has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008 and constitutes one of the masterpieces of Khmer architecture.
6. Sambor Prei Kuk: before the birth of Angkor
To understand the history of Cambodia, one must also look back to before the Angkorian Empire.
In the province of Kampong Thom lies Sambor Prei Kuk, identified as the ancient Ishanapura, capital of the Chenla kingdom that flourished at the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century.
The site includes a remarkable group of brick temples surrounded by forest.
Its historical importance is considerable: the art and architecture developed at Sambor Prei Kuk helped lay the foundations for the Khmer architectural style that would reach its peak several centuries later at Angkor.
Some temples also feature octagonal architecture, which is particularly rare in Southeast Asia.
Sambor Prei Kuk has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017.
7. Phnom Kulen: the origins of the Khmer Empire
About fifty kilometers from Siem Reap, Phnom Kulen occupies a fundamental place in Cambodian history and spirituality.
The massif shelters the remains of the ancient Mahendraparvata, associated with the reign of Jayavarman II and the origins of the Khmer Empire at the beginning of the 9th century.
Archaeological research has gradually revealed the importance of this ancient settlement, with its temples, hydraulic works, and traces of urban organization.
Phnom Kulen also remains a sacred place for many Cambodians today. There one finds, notably, pagodas, a large reclining Buddha, and the famous River of a Thousand Lingas.
The archaeological site of Phnom Kulen has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2020.
8. Banteay Chhmar: one of the great temples of Jayavarman VII
Further from the classic tourist circuits, Banteay Chhmar constitutes one of the most impressive Angkorian ensembles outside the Siem Reap region.
Located in Banteay Meanchey province, the complex is particularly associated with the reign of Jayavarman VII.
One finds there several characteristics of the architecture developed during this era, notably face towers reminiscent of those at the Bayon and significant bas-reliefs.
Its relative isolation also allows for the discovery of a great Khmer site in an atmosphere very different from that of the most frequented temples of Angkor.
The Banteay Chhmar archaeological complex has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2020.
9. Angkor Borei and Phnom Da: at the roots of Khmer civilization
Long before Angkor, important societies had already developed in southern Cambodia.
In Takeo province, Angkor Borei constitutes one of the main sites for exploring this ancient period.
Occupation of the region dates back several centuries before the Common Era, and Angkor Borei became a major political center associated with the kingdom of Funan.
Nearby lies Phnom Da, where several ancient sanctuaries remain.
The interest of the site is essential for understanding the transition between the early political formations of southern Cambodia, the pre-Angkorian period, and then the gradual emergence of Khmer civilization.
UNESCO describes Angkor Borei as one of the important centers that participated in the foundations of Khmer civilization.
The site of Angkor Borei and Phnom Da has been on the World Heritage Tentative List since 2020.
10. Oudong: the former royal capital of Cambodia
Cambodian history obviously does not stop with the end of the Angkorian period.
About 35 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh lies Oudong, a former royal capital of Cambodia.
The city occupied a major political position during the post-Angkorian period, between 1618 and 1863, before the capital was transferred to Phnom Penh.
Today, Oudong Hill is punctuated by stupas and monuments associated with several Cambodian sovereigns.
The visit thus allows for the discovery of a period of national history often less known to travelers, situated between the grandeur of Angkor and the birth of contemporary Cambodia.
The ancient city of Oudong has also been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2020.
Cambodia, far beyond Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is naturally an essential stop during a trip to Cambodia, but reducing Khmer heritage to this single monument would mean missing out on a large part of the country's history.
Angkor Borei allows one to trace back to the first great societies of the region. Sambor Prei Kuk recounts the pre-Angkorian period. Phnom Kulen, Angkor, and Koh Ker bear witness to the rise and then the apogee of the Khmer Empire, while Oudong opens a window onto the post-Angkorian history of the kingdom.
Through these different places, a much vaster history emerges, made of changing capitals, religious evolutions, architectural innovations, and cultural transmission.
Cambodia today counts five cultural assets inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list: Angkor, Preah Vihear, Sambor Prei Kuk, Koh Ker, and, since 2025, the Memorial Sites of Cambodia related to the violence of the Khmer Rouge regime.
Preserving Cambodia's historical sites
These sites are not just tourist destinations.
They are the material witnesses of Cambodian history and remain, for some, living spiritual and cultural places.
Preserving them therefore also implies visiting them with respect: following authorized areas, not touching the sculptures, respecting religious practices, and supporting as much as possible the local communities that live around these heritage sites.
This preservation is essential to allow future generations to continue to understand and pass on the history of Cambodia.
Conclusion
From the pre-Angkorian temples of Sambor Prei Kuk to the royal stupas of Oudong, the historical sites of Cambodia tell a story that spans over fifteen centuries.
Angkor Wat remains its most universal symbol, but Koh Ker, Preah Vihear, Phnom Kulen, Banteay Chhmar, or Angkor Borei reveal other facets just as fascinating of the Khmer heritage.
Visiting these places is going beyond landscapes and monuments: it is discovering the different civilizations, beliefs, sovereigns, and know-how that have gradually shaped the Cambodian identity.
A journey through the stones, temples, and ancient capitals to better understand the history of a kingdom whose heritage continues, even today, to fascinate well beyond its borders.