The vast temple complex of Cambodia is known as Angkor Wat, after the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire.
For centuries, this empire was a crossroads of diverse cultures — Hinduism, Buddhism, and the local Khmer tradition.
Today, its temples remain a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists, though they face multiple threats: from tourism, looting, and banditry to the lingering scars of decades of war, famine, and internal conflict.
When McCurry first visited Angkor, he was, like all who come here, overwhelmed by awe.
But soon he decided to portray the monuments not as ruins, but as living structures — capturing human presence in the form of meditative silhouettes that seem to recall ancient memories.
This image is among the most beautiful from the book McCurry later dedicated to Cambodia’s temples.
Originally part of his global project on Buddhism, it eventually evolved into an independent body of work.
It took the photographer four months to document the world’s largest temple complex — a site long hidden by jungle, later occupied by the Khmer Rouge, who mined the surrounding area, much of which remains inaccessible today.
Sadly, those same occupiers destroyed many of the temples, removing Buddha statues to sell on the Thai market.
Among the temples, Ta Prohm is McCurry’s favorite. As seen in this image, the jungle has enveloped it completely, giving it an otherworldly atmosphere.
Local children still remember McCurry’s visit. Their desperate need to survive led them to invent a new source of income: for a small tip, they would guide travelers to the exact spots where the famous photographer had once stood to take his pictures.