The Temples of Angkor

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One of these temples – a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo – might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.

Henri Mouhot

In August 2009, I traveled to Cambodia, spending a month photographing the magnificent temples within the Angkor Archaeological Park. Spanning over 400 square kilometers in Siem Reap province, the park is home to more than 100 monuments, with over two dozen major temples. Among these, the best-known and best-preserved is Angkor Wat—a structure that has withstood the test of time, the region’s harsh double monsoons, numerous droughts, and countless wars. It stands today as one of the most awe-inspiring religious monuments ever built, showcasing the extraordinary skill and ingenuity of its ancient creators.

French explorer Henri Mouhot, who brought Angkor Wat to international attention in the 1850s, famously described it as: “One of these temples—a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo—might take an honorable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.”

While Angkor Wat was an obvious focal point, I also sought to capture the lesser-known, more remote temples that have been reclaimed by the jungle since the decline of the Angkor Empire—specifically Koh Ker and Beng Mealea. These temples are far more challenging to access due to Cambodia’s poor road infrastructure, which is especially treacherous during the rainy season, and the large number of unexploded landmines still scattered across the countryside and jungle. Yet, navigating these obstacles allowed for a unique experience—being almost entirely alone while exploring these astonishingly beautiful, ancient sites.

Cambodia is rapidly evolving with the surge in tourism, and I felt compelled to document these places while they still retain a sense of timelessness, before modernity and development transform the landscape further. This project aims to capture an Angkor that, in many ways, is on the brink of disappearing forever.

All images copyright © Thaddeus Pope. All rights reserved.