Angkor, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, was a thriving metropolis at the center of the Khmer Empire in the 13thcentury. Then its inhabitants suddenly left town. Now, researchers find abrupt climatic changes and vulnerable infrastructure led to the city’s demise. It’s a cautionary tale for modern cities, many of which are already feeling the stress of climate change.
Once a vast, urban hub, Angkor was the capitol city of a kingdom that stretched from the tip of the Indochinese Peninsula to modern Yunnan Province in China and from Vietnam to the Bay of Bengal. By the 13thcentury, the city itself covered at least 100 square kilometers. Over 600 years, ruling kings added to the metropolis, building majestic monuments including Angkor Wat, a Buddhist temple that is a central tourist attraction near the modern-day city of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Historical accounts say Angkor was a ...
