Preah Vihear Temple is a Khmer temple complex situated atop a mountain in the Dângrêk Mountains, on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. It was built during the Khmer Empire in the 9th-12th centuries AD as a dedication to the Hindu god Shiva. The temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries connected by pavements and staircases, with the central sanctuary perched on the edge of a sheer cliff that drops 500 meters into the valley below.

The temple was built in a unique architectural style that combined elements of Khmer, Hindu, and indigenous architecture, and was considered a masterpiece of ancient Khmer architecture. The temple was abandoned in the 15th century and was rediscovered in the early 20th century by French explorers.

Preah Vihear Temple has had a long history of controversy and conflict due to its location on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. Both countries have claimed ownership of the temple, leading to multiple armed conflicts in the 20th century. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the issue has not been fully resolved and sporadic clashes have continued in the area. The temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.