The Secret History Behind Cambodia's Flag

Cambodia is the only country in the world with a building on its flag.

Look at the center, and you'll find three silhouetted towers: Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument ever built on Earth. Constructed in the 12th century by the Khmer Empire, originally as a Hindu temple and later transformed into a Buddhist one, Angkor Wat has stood for nearly 900 years — and it's stood at the center of Cambodia's flag for most of the country's modern history, through kingdoms, colonization, and independence alike.

Around that ancient silhouette, the meaning is simpler: blue stands for the monarchy, red for the nation. Independence from France came on November 9, 1953 — the date printed on every Cambodia design in our catalog.

Most flags are carved from color and geometry alone. Cambodia's is carved from stone — a literal monument, standing watch over the flag of the nation that built it.

See the Cambodia Angkor Wat Tee → · Browse the Southeast Asia collection → — or explore the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page.

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