Angkor Thom

Built a 100 years after the Angkor Wat which is not very far away, this great walled city was the capital of the empire during the reign of the King Jayavarman VII and sometimes referred as “Rome of Asia”. In fact, this city is not inferior to any big city in the world at that time in comparison to its size as well as population. Surrounded by deep moat and connected to outers part by stone bridges, this square citadel has the perimeter of 12 km (3 km each side) and the total land area of 9 square kilometers. At its peak time, the city’s population was up to a million. Within the city, apart from royal residence and buildings, there is a large number of impressive religious monuments and sites of historical interest. 

The city has 4 main gates, all built of sandstone with impressive carving, one at each of cardinal points and has road lead straight to the center of the city where situated the Bayon temple which is representing the holy Mount Meru that connects heaven and earth. This temple-mountain of Bayon is famous with huge stone faces caved on 4 sides of each tower bearing mysterious smile.  

On the East side of the citadel, just about 500 meter to the north of the main gate, there is another gate called Victory Gate that has road runs to the Victory Square and the Royal Palace.
In front of each tower gate, there is a stone bridge spans the moat and marked by two rows of devas on either side pulling a seven-headed naga snake, reference to the Hindu myth of the Churning of the Sea of Milk.

Large part of the city is now covered by forest but all the remaining will take you hours to explore. Come to Angkor Thom you will be amazed at an incredible world of architecture, art, history and nature. Along the way exploring the city you can enjoy the music playing by the locals with the traditional instruments.