Yaśodharapura Archaeological Site

Yashodharapura is the historical name for the royal city that served as the Khmer capital in the Angkor region of present-day Cambodia, centered on the temple complexes north of Siem Reap. It functioned as the political and religious heartland of the classical Khmer Empire.

The area contains some of the world’s most visited monuments, including Angkor Wat (early 12th century), the walled city of Angkor Thom with the Bayon temple (late 12th to early 13th century), and tree-entwined ruins such as Ta Prohm. Together these monuments form a dense archaeological landscape of temple-mountains, causeways and reservoirs.

Yashodharapura was established as the Khmer royal city under successive kings from the late 9th century onward and remained central to Khmer political and religious life through the 12th and 13th centuries, with major building phases under kings such as Yasovarman I and Jayavarman VII. The urban and temple complexes were gradually depopulated and transformed after the 13th and 15th centuries but remained a focus of archaeological and conservation work from the 19th century to the present.

The ancient city complex sits about 5 to 7 kilometers north of modern Siem Reap and is accessed from the town by a network of roads and park entrances; the temple groups are clustered within a few kilometers of one another.

• Visit logistics: Angkor’s main temple complex is concentrated within a few kilometers north of Siem Reap town and is usually visited over one or more days to cover the principal temples.
• Bayon faces: The **Bayon** within Angkor Thom is noted for more than 200 carved stone faces on its towers, a distinctive feature of Jayavarman VII’s projects.

What to See#

• Angkor Wat: **Angkor Wat**, the large temple complex and the best-preserved part of the ancient capital, built in the early 12th century and occupying a walled area of around 162 hectares.
• Angkor Thom and Bayon: **Angkor Thom**, the later walled city founded in the late 12th century, containing the Bayon temple with its many carved stone faces.
• Ta Prohm: **Ta Prohm**, a temple built in the late 12th century and left largely unrestored so that trees grow among the masonry, famous for its photogenic, root-entwined ruins.

Yaśodharapura is part of the greater Angkor area around Siem Reap. Most visitors base themselves in Siem Reap town and hire tuk-tuks, bikes, or licensed guides to reach the various temple sites; the main Angkor Park entrance is about 6-7 km north of Siem Reap town centre.

Cambodia’s national airport (Siem Reap-Angkor International) has regular flights from Phnom Penh and international connections; from there, tuk-tuks and taxis take visitors into the archaeological park.

• Combine a visit with Angkor Archaeological Park - Yaśodharapura was the historical core that Angkor grew from.
• Hire a licensed guide familiar with Khmer royal topography to make sense of temple names and shifting capitals.
• Bring sunscreen and a wide-brim hat; ancient sandstone ruins offer little shade during midday.