Over aperiod of 300 years between 900 and 1200AD,The Khmer Kingdom, in a pre-industrial civilisation,created world's most magnificient architectural masterpieces stretching over an area of 15 miles by 5 miles. Ankor Wat portrayed a Hindu cosmology created between 1112 and 1150.Ankor Thom,the capital city builtafter the Cham sack of 1177is surrounded by a 300-foot wide moat. The construction of Ankor Thom coincided with a change from Hindism to Buhism. temples were altered to display images of the Budha, and the Ankor Wat became a Budhist shrine.
The Ankor Wat temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
During 15th century, Ankor was abononed and the buildings were swallowed up by jungle creating a myth of a hidden lost civilisation.
In 1863, King Norodom, who had been installed by Thailand,sought the the protection of France from the Thai and vietnamee . In 1867 , The king signed a treaty with France . cambodia continued as a protectorste of France from 1863 to 1953.
