What was Ta Prohm originally?

A Buddhist monastery and university

Why does Ta Prohm still look overgrown?

It was left partly unrestored to show its jungle state

Ta Prohm Quiz: Angkor's Jungle Temple of Giant Roots

This Ta Prohm quiz walks among the roots at Cambodia's famous jungle temple. Play 10 interactive questions on King Jayavarman VII, its dedication to his mother, life as a Buddhist monastery, an inscription listing thousands of residents, giant silk-cotton and strangler fig trees, why it was left partly unrestored, Indian restoration work and Tomb Raider filming.

Start Ta Prohm Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Country
Which country is Ta Prohm in?
King
Which king built Ta Prohm?
Mother
To whom did the king dedicate the temple?
Use
What was Ta Prohm originally?
Residents
What does an inscription say about the temple?
Trees
Which trees grow over the ruins?
Left
Why does Ta Prohm still look overgrown?
Restore
Which country's experts have helped restore it?
Film
Which film featured the temple?
Era
When was Ta Prohm built?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which country is Ta Prohm in?
Answer: Cambodia
It is part of Angkor.
Q2: Which king built Ta Prohm?
Answer: Jayavarman VII
He also built Bayon.
Q3: To whom did the king dedicate the temple?
Answer: His mother
Another temple honored his father.
Q4: What was Ta Prohm originally?
Answer: A Buddhist monastery and university
Many monks lived there.
Q5: What does an inscription say about the temple?
Answer: Thousands of people lived and worked there
Villages supplied it with food.
Q6: Which trees grow over the ruins?
Answer: Silk-cotton and strangler fig trees
Their roots wrap the walls.
Q7: Why does Ta Prohm still look overgrown?
Answer: It was left partly unrestored to show its jungle state
The trees are protected.
Q8: Which country's experts have helped restore it?
Answer: India
Work balances stone and trees.
Q9: Which film featured the temple?
Answer: Tomb Raider
It was released in 2001.
Q10: When was Ta Prohm built?
Answer: Late 1100s
It is part of the Khmer Empire's peak.

Silk-Cotton Roots Gripping Khmer Stone

Ta Prohm is a temple in the Angkor area of Cambodia, built in the late 1100s by King Jayavarman VII, who also built Bayon. He dedicated it to his mother. It served as a Buddhist monastery and center of learning, and an inscription records that thousands of people lived and worked there, supplied by many villages.

Unlike other Angkor temples that were cleared, Ta Prohm was left partly unrestored to show how the jungle had reclaimed it. Huge silk-cotton and strangler fig trees grow from its roofs and walls, their roots gripping and splitting the stone in dramatic shapes.

Indian experts have helped stabilize the ruins, balancing protection of the stone with the famous trees. The temple appeared in the 2001 film Tomb Raider, adding to its fame. Wooden walkways now guide visitors through the crumbling corridors.

What This Quiz Teaches

History fans will enjoy these questions.

Who built the temple
What it was used for
Which trees grow there
Why it was left overgrown
Which films used it

Did You Know?

Early morning visits avoid crowds and heat.
A carving some say looks like a stegosaurus is debated.
Angkor is a UNESCO site.
Siem Reap is the gateway town.
Bas-reliefs of apsaras decorate walls.