ANGKOR lilterally means 'Capital City' or 'Holy City'. 'Khmer' refers to the dominant ethnic group in modern and  ancient cambodia. In it's modern usage, 'Angkor' has come to refer to the capital city of the Khmer empire that existed  in the area of cambodia between the 9th and 12 th ceturies AD, as well as t o the empire itself. The temple ruins in the area of Siem Reap are the remnants of the Angkorian capitals, and represent the pinnacle of the ancient Khmer architecture, art and civilization.