The Khmer Empire started approximately 800 AD with Angkor as it’s seat. Between the 9th and 13th century, some of the world’s most magnificent architectural masterpieces were build here. There were well over 1000 temples in the area.  In 1431, Angkor fell to it’s Ayutthayan invaders – ending the Khmer Empire.  The whole region was soon abandoned – except for Angkor Wat, which remained a Buddhist Shrine for a little while longer.

Soon, Angkor was forgotten and the jungle took it over – burying the great monuments. In the 19th century, Angkor and it’s ruins were rediscovered and many of the temples have since been restored and protected. For a long time, Cambodia was a bloody war zone (Cambodian Civil War followed by the Red Khmer Regime). The Red Khmer are believed to have killed more than two million people (about 1/3 of Cambodia’s population). For a very long time, these wars made it impossible to visit the breathtaking historic sites of Angkor.  In 1993, the king was reinstalled in Cambodia and  Angkor became a UNESCO World heritage site. But only in the recent years has Cambodia finally been stable and safe to visit.

Today, Angkor is a mystical and magical place. Walking it’s grounds feels almost unreal – especially early in the morning when the sun slowly rises. This is the best time to visit if you are trying to avoid the masses and tourist groups.

While wandering around the temples and ruins, I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the amazing Archways, Galleries and Look Throughs of the various temple ruins. Often, the morning light created an extra mystifying glow – which had me in a ban and “awws”. Therefore, I decided to focus on exactly these Archways with my photographs.

Please enjoy the ARCHWAYS OF ANGKOR:

Angkor Thom:

Banteay Kdei

Ta Prohm

Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat Archways and Buddha

All images are available as prints on canvas upon request. If interested please contact me via email :)