Unlike other temples in Angkor, Ta Prohm is surrounded by jungle. It is one of the largest and most attractive temples in Angkor, was built by King Jayavarman Vll from the mid of 12th to the beginning of 13th century, as a shrine to his mother and is another must for anyone coming to Siem Reap. In Ta Prohm’s hay day as a monastery there were almost three thousand priests living here overseen by eighteen high priests. Ta Prohm is unforgettable due to the large trees, many of which have grown around and through the remains, and soar high above the temple ruins. They were left in place intentionally by the archeologists working to expose the site, who decided to leave them in place to serve as a reminder of how the original discoverers found it and other temples.  

Ta Prohm is a very popular site due to it’s iconic look, with trees that have been left growing out of the stonework. This gives the site the feeling of it having just been discovered, and the mixture of nature and human architecture is simply stunning.

The Tomb Raider Temple

This particular temple gained notoriety in the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, movie starring Angelina Jolie. For many the first sighting of the majestic Angkor temples was through the Tomb Raider movie. Who could forget the sight of the giant trees with massive root structures engulfing the roofs and walls of the Ta Phrom temple? 

This temple, along with those of the Bayon and Angkor Thom form the core of any visit to Siem Reap.