The stonework may be overrun by vegetation, but that may be Ta Prohm's saving grace. This temple is one of the most popular with Angkor's visitors, as it's one of the most evocative of the lot: its rugged good looks even got it a guest shot as a location in the first Tomb Raider movie.
Ta Prohm was built by King Jayavarman VII for his mother. In its entirety, the complex is composed of several low buildings enclosed by a wall (or what's left of it) encompassing an area 1,959 by 3,281 feet large. After its consecration in 1186, Ta Prohm became an active Buddhist monastery and university: a Sanskrit inscription on the site counts about 12,640 people as the complex's residents, including 13 high priests, 2,740 officials, 2,232 assistants, and 615 dancers.
When conservation efforts began in the early 20th century, it was decided that the trees and vegetation would be left largely in place. Today, trees have grown into (and in some cases, replaced) the temple's stone superstructure, shading visitors as they walk through the ruins of a great center for learning.
TRIVIA: Ta Prohm was intended to be a complement to the nearby Preah Khan temple complex, which was dedicated in turn to King Jayavarman VII's father.
