The History of Angkor Wat

Cambodia - Angkor Wat, and the more than 100 temples in the complex, are called one of the most profound and beautiful examples of ancient Hindu architecture in the whole world.

Built around the 9th century, they took more than 30 years to build, you may recognize some of the splendor from the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movies.

The temples of Angkor Wat spread over more than 150 acres.

The main features of the complex are the five towers of Angkor Wat, an image which appears in the national flag of Cambodia.

As breathtaking as the structures are, just as striking for me were the land mine survivors playing the acoustic instruments on the roads leading to the temples.

There were still bullet holes from when Thai armies tried to destroy the temples in 1431.

The city was deserted by the Khmer rulers a year later.