Why did Angkor Wat eventually get abandoned?
Posted on Oct 16, 2025 / Travel
It’s one of history’s big mysteries, but most agree it wasn’t a sudden collapse. The Khmer Empire slowly declined around the 14th–15th centuries because of wars, droughts, shifting trade routes, and political troubles. As the capital moved south toward Phnom Penh, the temple city just faded from daily life. Still, monks kept living there, so it never totally disappeared. Jungle growth took over much of the area, which gave it that “lost city” vibe later explorers loved to romanticize. When Europeans stumbled upon it in the 1800s, it wasn’t a discovery to locals — they’d always known it was there. It’s more a story of transformation than true abandonment.
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