From 9th-century Prambanan to 12th-century Angkor Wat — an architectural and historical guide to surviving Hindu temple complexes across Asia.
These ancient temples represent some of the oldest surviving Hindu structures outside India, spanning from the 9th to the 12th century CE. Each one offers a unique window into the spread of Hindu culture and architecture across Asia.
Central Java, Indonesia
Built
850 CE
Period
Mataram Kingdom
Deity
Trimurti (Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma)
Country
Indonesia
Built in the 9th century during the Mataram Kingdom, Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
View Temple Guide →Roluos, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Built
881 CE
Period
Khmer Empire (Indravarman I)
Deity
Shiva
Country
Cambodia
Bakong is the earliest surviving temple mountain in Cambodia and the largest of the Roluos group.
View Temple Guide →Bali, Indonesia
Built
10th century CE (earliest structures)
Period
Balinese Kingdom period
Deity
Shiva (Batara Guru)
Country
Indonesia
Pura Besakih, known as the Mother Temple of Bali, dates its earliest structures to the 10th century.
View Temple Guide →Kathmandu, Nepal
Built
5th century CE (earliest literary references)
Period
Lichchhavi period
Deity
Shiva (Pashupatinath)
Country
Nepal
Pashupatinath Temple is mentioned in 5th-century CE Sanskrit texts, making it one of the oldest continuously used Hindu temple sites outside India.
View Temple Guide →Siem Reap, Cambodia
Built
1113–1150 CE
Period
Khmer Empire (Suryavarman II)
Deity
Vishnu
Country
Cambodia
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world and the pinnacle of Khmer Hindu architecture.
View Temple Guide →Siem Reap, Cambodia
Built
967 CE
Period
Khmer Empire (Rajendravarman II)
Deity
Shiva
Country
Cambodia
Banteay Srei is considered the jewel of Khmer art. Built from pink sandstone with exquisite detail, its carvings are among the finest in all of Southeast Asia.
View Temple Guide →Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia
Built
9th–11th century CE
Period
Khmer Empire
Deity
Shiva
Country
Cambodia
Perched on a 525-metre cliff in the Dangrek Mountains, Preah Vihear Temple is one of the most dramatically situated Hindu temples in the world.
View Temple Guide →Trincomalee, Sri Lanka
Built
Ancient (Sangam era); earliest structures pre-3rd century BCE
Period
Early Tamil kingdoms
Deity
Shiva
Country
Sri Lanka
Koneswaram Temple is one of the Pancha Ishwarams — five ancient Shiva temples of Sri Lanka.
View Temple Guide →Puttalam, Sri Lanka
Built
Ancient (early medieval period)
Period
Tamil and Sinhalese kingdoms
Deity
Shiva
Country
Sri Lanka
Munneswaram Temple is another of the Pancha Ishwarams and one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sri Lanka.
View Temple Guide →The ancient Hindu temples of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent represent one of the most remarkable chapters in world architectural history. Built without modern tools, these structures achieved extraordinary precision — Angkor Wat's alignment with the solar equinox, Prambanan's 47-metre stone spires, and Banteay Srei's intricate carvings in pink sandstone continue to inspire wonder.
Many of these temples were abandoned for centuries due to war, climate shifts, or religious change. Their rediscovery in the 19th and 20th centuries by colonial administrators, archaeologists, and later by UNESCO has led to extensive restoration efforts. The temples now serve as powerful symbols of cultural heritage, attracting millions of visitors annually.
The construction techniques used — dry-stack masonry, interlocking stone blocks, inclined earth ramps, and precise astronomical alignment — remain subjects of study for modern engineers and architects. These ancient builders achieved results that challenge our assumptions about pre-industrial capabilities.
Explore more ancient and monumental Hindu temples.
These are the published records this page draws on. Each entry names the body that issued it and the specific claims on this page that it backs, so you can check them yourself rather than taking our word for it.
Archaeological Survey of India
Archaeological Survey of India — monument records and conservation reports
Protection status, dating, architectural classification and published conservation records for the monuments named on this page.
Primary archaeological record
Open source (opens in a new tab)UNESCO World Heritage Centre
UNESCO World Heritage List — India
World Heritage inscription criteria, Outstanding Universal Value statements and the year of listing for the sites named on this page.
World Heritage documentation
Open source (opens in a new tab)Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica — reference entries on Indian art, religion and history
Reference background on the historical figures, dynasties and religious traditions named on this page.
Reference source
Open source (opens in a new tab)— every record linked above was re-requested for this release, so the link still resolves and the publisher still serves the document. It is a link check, not a re-verification of every sentence on this page.
Missing something, or found an error? Send us a correction with the record that supports it, or read how we choose sources.
Explore historical timelines, architectural traditions, and primary documentation across India's sacred temples and pilgrimage circuits.
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