Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Face at Angkor Thom 

On our final day in Cambodia we still had our Temple Passes that were good so we decided to get a Tuk-Tuk and visit Angkor Thom and the Bayon. We have been there a few times but seeing King J VII’s City with the faces on the Bayon again was exciting and wonderful.

Angkor Thom 

Angkor Thom (Khmer: Great City) was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century CE by King Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1219, also known as J VII). Its in an area in which are located several monuments from earlier eras as well as those established by J VII and later kings. At the center of the city is his State Temple, the Bayon with other major sites clustered to the North.

The City was built in a nearly perfect square, surrounded by four walls and a 100m-wide moat (now dry), said to have contained ferocious crocodiles. A gate opens exactly in the middle of each wall and a bridge extends over the moat to the area outside the royal Angkor Thom. The original royal palace at Angkor Thom was probably built of wood and no longer stands.

South Gate Angkor Thom 

The South gate is the best restored and most popular, but is also the most busy since it leads directly to Angkor Wat. The East and West gates, found at the end of trails, are more peaceful. Since it seems more undiscovered, the East gate was used in the movie Tomb Raider.

Angkor Thom and the Bayon are very impressive temples and they are pretty easy to go to by Tuk-Tuk. These ruins are definitely a wonderful place to visit and experience.

Highly recommended!

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