Angkor was once the capital city of the Khmer empire, in Cambodia. It consisted of many fabulous temples, the most notable of them being Angkor Wat. However, for much of modern times, Angkor was a lost city, only discovered by the French in 1860. At first, they did not believe the Khmer empire built these structures, but by deciphering the Sanskrit inscriptions throughout the city, they were able to piece together the history of the city.