Preah Vihear Temple

The Preah Vihear Temple is situated atop a dramatic 525-meter cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains of Cambodia, directly bordering Thailand. Its elevated location offers sweeping views of the surrounding plains. The temple is much more remote than the famous Angkor Wat complexes.

Constructed during the height of the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 12th centuries, the temple was built primarily under the reigns of Kings Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II. It was dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. Construction spanned over 300 years as subsequent kings added to the structure.

Because the temple sits directly on the border of Cambodia and Thailand, both nations claimed ownership for decades. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia. Tensions and military clashes between the two countries over the surrounding land continued into the early 2010s.

Unlike most Khmer temples built on flat ground, Preah Vihear is designed along a long north-south axis running up the side of a mountain. Its layout is meant to represent a spiritual journey, guiding pilgrims upward from the plains to the holy sanctuaries at the peak. The temple was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.