The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by signatories to the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. [1] Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. [2] Cambodia ratified the convention on 28 November 1991. [3]
Cambodia has four sites on the list. Angkor was listed in 1992 when the country was briefly governed by the United Nations mission after the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, in line with the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements. The site was immediately placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in order to quickly and efficiently deal with urgent problems of conservation. [4] In 2004, Angkor was removed from the endangered list. [5] The Temple of Preah Vihear was listed in 2008, the Sambor Prei Kuk temple complex in 2018, and the Koh Ker in 2023. [3] All four sites are cultural. In addition, Cambodia has seven sites on its tentative list. [3]
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural. [6]
Site | Image | Location (province) | Year listed | UNESCO data | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Angkor | Siem Reap | 1992 | 668; i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) | The Angkor area, one of the largest archaeological areas in the world, was the site of different capitals of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th century. The temples of Angkor Wat (pictured), Angkor Thom, Bayon, and the nearby Banteay Srei and the temples of Roluos depict different periods of Khmer architecture and are richly decorated with sculptures and stone carvings. Khmer art had an important influence on the wider region. Upon inscription, the site was listed as endangered to ensure conservation; it was removed from that list in 2004. [4] [5] [7] | |
Temple of Preah Vihear | Preah Vihear | 2008 | 1224: i (cultural) | The temple, dating to the first half of the 11th century, is a masterpiece of Khmer architecture. The temple complex, which comprises several sanctuaries and staircases along an 800 m (2,600 ft) axis, is dedicated to Shiva and is richly decorated with stone carvings. It is located on the edge of a mountain plateau overlooking the plains, and, mainly due to its remote location, is well preserved. [8] | |
Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura | Kampong Thom | 2017 | 1532; ii, iii, vi (cultural) | Ishanapura was the capital of the Chenla Empire in the late 6th and early 7th centuries CE. The archaeological area comprises 186 sandstone temples in a unique architectural style (the Sambor Prei Kuk style) from which the Angkorian style gradually developed. The style of the temples comes from Hindu tradition with influences from Buddhism and animism. Temple inscriptions in Sanskrit and Old Khmer mention the God-King, a concept that was fundamental to the government system that existed in Cambodia and Thailand until the 20th century. [9] | |
Koh Ker: Archeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chork Gargyar | Preah Vihear | 2023 | 1667; ii, iv (cultural) | Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire under King Jayavarman IV in the first half of the 10th century. Now in ruins and difficult to access, the remains of the city contain Hindu temples, shrines, monuments, and water management systems. [10] |
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. [11] Cambodia lists seven properties on its tentative list. [3]
Site | Image | Location (province) | Year listed | UNESCO criteria | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The site of Angkor Borei and Phnom Da | Takéo | 2020 | i, ii, iv (cultural) | Angkor Borei was a capital of Funan, an early Khmer political entity that lasted until the late 6th century CE. Brick buildings, city walls, and several canals have been preserved, as well as some of the earliest Khmer inscriptions. Phnom Da (pictured) is a nearby mount with remains of two temples and several caves with shrines. The two sites represent the early Khmer art styles that developed under influence from India, fusing elements of Hinduism and Buddhism, and were also influenced by the Greco-Buddhist art. [12] | |
The Archeological Complex of Banteay Chhmar | Banteay Meanchey | 2020 | ii, iii, iv (cultural) | The temple complex of Banteay Chhmar dates to the 12th and 13th century and was built in the Bayon style. It is decorated with stone carvings depicting scenes from Hindu mythology and scenes from the war between Khmer and Chams. An important feature of the complex is a large artificial water reservoir, a baray, with an island in the middle. [13] | |
Beng Mealea Temple | Siem Reap | 2020 | ii, iv (cultural) | The temple was constructed in the 12th century, in the Angkor period, during the reign of king Suryavarman II. The large complex is now mostly in ruins and renovations have not yet begun. Due to its location on an intersection of important trade routes, it was a regional commercial centre. The remains of some water management structures have been preserved. [14] | |
Ancient City of Oudong | Kandal | 2020 | ii, iv (cultural) | Oudong was the capital of the post-Angkorian period, from the 17th to the 19th century. The city was involved in trade with countries of Southeast Asia and also with Europe. It had enclaves to house foreigners, including Chinese, Cham, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and English. The mountain above the town (pictured) houses stupas of the Royal family. [15] | |
Phnom Kulen: Archeological Site/ Ancient Site of Mahendraparvata | Siem Reap | 2020 | ii, iv, v (cultural) | Phnom Kulen is a mountain range with a strong symbolic significance for the Khmer people. It includes the city of Mahendraparvata, where king Jayavarman II declared independence from Java in 802. The architecture of the city marks the transition form pre-Angkorian to Angkorian period, with several temples and monuments partially preserved. It was one of the first cities in Cambodia to use a grid plan. Some monuments in the area also date to the post-Angkorian period. [16] | |
Former M-13 prison/ Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (former S-21)/ Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (former Execution Site of S-21) | Phnom Penh, Kampong Chhnang | 2020 | iii, iv, vi (cultural) | This nomination comprises three sites of the Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. M-13 was a prison set up by Kang Kek Iew to train prison guards in detaining, torturing, and killing. Tuol Sleng was a school converted to a prison where over 18.000 people were detained, tortured, interrogated, and then often taken to the nearby execution site of Choeung Ek. All three places have since been converted into memorial sites. [17] | |
The ancient complex of Preah Khan Kompong Svay | Preah Vihear | 2020 | ii (cultural) | Preah Khan Kompong Svay was a large provincial city and a religious complex of the Angkorian period. It was mostly constructed between the 11th and early 13th century. The temple is decorated with Buddhist motifs. The city had an important iron industry, due to nearby iron resources. [18] |
Khmer architecture, also known as Angkorian architecture, is the architecture produced by the Khmers during the Angkor period of the Khmer Empire from approximately the later half of the 8th century CE to the first half of the 15th century CE.
Kampong Thom is a province (khaet) of Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Siem Reap to the northwest, Preah Vihear to the north, Stung Treng to the northeast, Kratie to the east, Kampong Cham and Kampong Chhnang to the south, and the Tonle Sap to the west.
Preah Vihear is a province (khaet) of Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap to the west, Kampong Thom to the south and Stung Treng to the east. Its northern boundary forms part of Cambodia's international border with Thailand and Laos. Its capital is Preah Vihear.
Siem Reap, officially Siemreap, is a province (khaet) of Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey to the north, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom to the east, Battambang to the south, and Banteay Meanchey to the west. Its capital and largest city is Siem Reap.
Preah Vihear Temple is an ancient Khmer Hindu temple that was built by the Khmer Empire and is on the top of a 525-metre (1,722 ft) cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, in the Preah Vihear province, Cambodia.
Koh Ker is a remote archaeological site in northern Cambodia about 120 kilometres (75 mi) away from Siem Reap and the ancient site of Angkor. It is a jungle filled region that is sparsely populated. More than 180 sanctuaries were found in a protected area of 81 square kilometres (31 sq mi). Only about two dozen monuments can be visited by tourists because most of the sanctuaries are hidden in the forest and the whole area is not fully demined.
Khao Phra Wihan National Park is a protected natural area in Sisaket Province, Thailand, that contains numerous ruins of the 11th century Khmer Empire. The park lies 98 km (61 mi) south of the town of Sisaket, at the end of Thai highway 221. Sited on a red stone cliff that is part of the Dangrek mountain range on the southern edge of the Khorat Plateau, it abuts the international border between Thailand's Sisaket Province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear Province. The name of the cliff in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription is Pha Mo I Daeng (ผามออีแดง). The park was established on 20 March 1998, with an area of 81,250 rai ~ 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi)
The Cambodian–Thai border dispute began in June 2008 as part of a century-long dispute between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand involving the area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, in the Dângrêk Mountains between Choam Khsant District, Preah Vihear Province of northern Cambodia and the Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province of northeastern Thailand.
Sambor Prei Kuk (Isanapura) is an archaeological site in Cambodia located in Kampong Thom Province, 30 km (19 mi) north of Kampong Thom, the provincial capital, 176 km (109 mi) east of Angkor and 206 km (128 mi) north of Phnom Penh. The now ruined complex dates back to the Pre-Angkorian Chenla Kingdom, established by king Isanavarman I as central royal sanctuary and capital, known then as "Isanapura". In 2017, Sambor Prei Kuk was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Phnom Kulen is a mountain range and a part of Phnom Kulen National Park in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.
The archeological complex of Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, also known as Prasat Bakan or Bakan Svay Rolay, is located 100 km east of Angkor, in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia. It stands as the largest single religious complex ever built during Angkorian Era, as its exterior enclosure is over 22 km square, even if the isolated location makes it one of the less-visited Angkorian sites.
Lakhon Khol or Khmer Masked Theatre is a dance drama genre that is performed in Cambodia.
Tourism in Cambodia is one of the most important sectors in the country's economy. In 2013, tourism arrivals increased by 17.5 percent year on year, with business travelers increasing 47 percent.
Īśānavarman or Yīshēnàxiāndài was a king of the kingdom of Chenla in 7th century, which would later become the Khmer Empire. He was the son of, and successor to Mahendravarman.
Bilateral relations between Cambodia and Thailand date to the 13th century during the Angkor Era. The Thai Ayutthaya Kingdom gradually displaced the declining Khmer Empire from the 14th century, importing much of its customs and culture. French protectorateship separated Cambodia from modern Thailand at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, and diplomatic relations between the modern states were established on 19 December 1950.
Sachchidanand Sahai is an Indian epigraphist, writer and the scientific advisor to the Government of Cambodia for restoration of Angkor Wat and the Temple of Preah Vihear, known for his knowledge on Khmer civilization. He was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.