Angkor: Abandonment and Restoration

Angkor was raided in the 14th and 15th cent. by the Thai, and was abandoned for Phnom Penh in 1434. Overgrown by the jungle, the ruins were discovered by the French in 1861. Many of the monuments were subsequently restored to their former glory; restoration has been ongoing. The Indian government embarked on a restoration program in 1986, and in 1992 the complex was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nonethless, many of the structures at Angkor remain in jungle-choked ruins, and some are inaccessible due to unexploded land mines left over from the fighting of the late 20th cent.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Abandonment and Restoration
• Angkor Thom
• Angkor Wat
• Bibliography

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