Ta Prohm and the trees rooted in Angkor’s stone

At Ta Prohm near Siem Reap, Bayon-style galleries meet silk-cotton and strangler-fig roots, revealing a temple shaped by time.

Ta Prohm is a Buddhist temple near Siem Reap where carved stone galleries stand beside silk-cotton and strangler-fig roots. Founded by Jayavarman VII in 1186, it preserves the meeting of Khmer architecture and tropical growth within Angkor.

Ta Prohm: stone galleries beneath living roots

The temple’s most recognisable feature is the relationship between masonry and trees. Large roots cross walls, cling to towers and descend over carved surfaces. Trunks rise beside corridors, while broken stones remain among the vegetation.

This setting gives Ta Prohm a distinct visual character within the Angkor complex. The temple is not an isolated tower but a broad monastic compound of galleries, courtyards, passageways and sanctuaries. Angkor Ta Prohm Temple forms part of the World Heritage property of Angkor.

Rajavihara and the reign of Jayavarman VII

Jayavarman VII founded Ta Prohm as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and centre of learning. Its original name, Rajavihara, means Royal Monastery. The complex was dedicated to his mother, represented through the temple’s religious imagery.

Construction belongs to the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, within the Bayon style associated with Jayavarman VII’s reign. Jayavarman VII’s monastery belongs to a period when Khmer builders created large religious foundations across Angkor.

Courtyards, towers and carved stone

Ta Prohm uses the horizontal layout of a monastic complex. Long galleries connect enclosed spaces, and doorways frame further chambers across the compound. Towers rise above the surrounding walls, while lintels and pediments carry carved figures and vegetal patterns.

Stone surfaces show a mixture of intact carving, fallen blocks and roots that have entered the architecture. The temple’s condition forms part of its visible identity. Angkor was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992, placing Ta Prohm within a protected cultural landscape.

Visiting Ta Prohm: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Ta Prohm lies in the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. It stands east of Angkor Thom and is reached by road, tuk-tuk, bicycle or organised excursion.
• The approach crosses uneven ground, stone surfaces and narrow passages. Tree roots, fallen masonry and raised thresholds occur within the temple compound.
• The official language is Khmer and the currency is the Cambodian riel.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Ta Prohm

Where is Ta Prohm?

Ta Prohm is in the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. The temple lies east of Angkor Thom within the wider Angkor complex.

What can visitors expect at Ta Prohm?

The compound contains galleries, courtyards, towers, carved stone and uneven passages. Tree roots cross parts of the masonry, and fallen blocks appear among the vegetation.

What makes Ta Prohm distinctive?

Its Bayon-style architecture stands beside large silk-cotton and strangler-fig roots. That visible contact between trees and stone defines the temple’s character.