Angkor Thom Temple, ancient capital of the Khmer empire built at the end of the 12th century.

"Angkor Thom (Big Angkor) is a 3km x 3km walled and moated royal city and was the last capital of the Angkorian empire. After King Jayavarman VII recaptured the Angkorian capital from the Cham in 1181, he began a massive building campaign across the empire and built Angkor Thom as his new capital city".

Temple Info

He began the new city with existing structures such as Baphuon and Phimeanakas, building a grand enclosed city around them, adding the outer wall/moat, and raising other important temples including the Bayon set at the center of the city and probably serving as his state temple.

Five grand entrances allowed access to the capital city - five towering face gates - one for each cardinal point, and the Victory Gate leading to the Royal Palace area. Each gate is crowned with 4 giant faces and framed by elephants wading amongst lotus flowers. Most modern visitors and tourists first enter Angkor Thom by the South Gate, coming from Siem Reap town 9km south.

In the Angkor Thom area, there are other monuments inside such as Baphuon, Bayon, Khleang, Mangalartha, Phimeanakas, Prasat Chrung, Prasat Suor Prat, Preah Palilay, Preah Pithu, Tep Pranam, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, The Royal Palace.

The Bayon face. Serenely smiling faces are carved on stone towers throughout the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom, literally meaning the "Great City."

The Royal Palace situated within the city of Angkor Thom is of an earlier date and belonged to kings of the tenth and first half of the tenth and first half of the eleventh centuries. Although the foundations and an enclosing wall around the palace with entry towers have been identified, little evidence remains of the layout of the buildings inside the enclosure. This absence of archaeological evidence of the royal buildings suggests that they were constructed of wood and have perished.

The city of Angkor Thom consists of a square, each side of which is about three kilometers (1.9 miles) long a laterite wall 8 meters (26 feet) in height around the city encloses an area of 145.8 hectares (360 acres). A moat with a width of 100meters (328 feet) surrounds the outer wall. An entry tower and along causeway bisect each side of the wall except on the east where are two entrances. The additional one, called the "Gate of Victory "is aligned with the causeway leading to the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. A small temple known as "Prasat Chrung' stands at each corner of the wall around the city of Angkor Thom. An earth embankment 25 meters (82 feet) wide supports the inner side of the wall and serves as a road around the city.

Temple Facts

Name: Angkor Thom, literally: "Great or Big City" alternative name called Nokor Thom. Angkor Thom or Nokor Thom was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire founded in the 12th Century.

Builder: Jayavarman VII
Material: Sandstone, laterite
Founded: Late 12th century AD (excluding some monuments inside)
Abandoned: Perhaps early 17th century AD
Architectural styles: Bayon (excluding some monuments inside)

Land area: 145.8 hectares (Angkor Thom consists of a square, each side of which is about three kilometers (1.9 miles) long a laterite wall 8 meters (26 feet) in height around the city encloses an area of 145.8 hectares (360 acres).
Cultures: Khmer Empire

Location: About nine kilometers at the north of Krong Siem Reap after Angkor Wat and Phnom Bakheng (Bakheng Mountain).
Other monuments inside: Bayon, Baphuon, Bayon, Khleang, Mangalartha, Phimeanakas, Prasat Chrung, Prasat Suor Prat, Preah Palilay, Preah Pithu, Tep Pranam, Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, The Royal Palace.


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