Angkor Wat frontage road

On May 3, Cambodia banned motor vehicles from the road that runs directly in front of the 12th-century Angkor Wat complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Siem Reap. There were concerns that vibrations from buses, trucks, etc., might cause damage to the Hindu and Buddhist temples and other structures.

The main road, which is only 985 feet long, is now open only to foot and bicycle traffic. As of press time, all other roads in the 160-square-mile site still allowed motorized vehicles.

The world’s largest religious monument, Angkor Wat began as a Hindu temple within the Khmer Empire and was consecrated to Buddhism, with statues of Buddha added, in the 14th or 15th century.