Thailand Travel Pages – Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

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Angkor Thom:

Angkor Thom (Khmer for the 'Great City') was the last and probably grandest of all the capital cities of the ancient Khmer empire. Founded by King Jayavarman VII in the 12th century, the city is 9 km² and at one time had a population of more than one million people.

The city was constructed as a square (3km x 3km) surrounded by 8m high walls, which run north to south and east to west. For further protection from his enemies Jayavarman VII encircled his city with a 100m wide moat, which was said to be infested by crocodiles. Today the moat is dry and the crocodiles long gone, but you can still see echoes of the moat's grandeur among the ruins.

There are five entrances to the city, one gate in the north, south and west walls and two in the east. A causeway spans the moat in front of each gate. Each causeway is lined by 54 devas (gods) on the left and 54 asuras (demons) on the right, the rows of gods and demons hold a naga (a serpent god) in a perpetual tug-of-war.

Each gate is 20m high, decorated by giant stone elephants and crowned by the four faces of the bodhisattva (enlightened-being) Avalokiteśvara (in Buddhism Avalokiteśvara is known as the 'Lord who looks down' and he is said to embody the compassion of all Buddhas). As you walk towards one of the magnificent entrances, take a minute or two to look up at the beautiful bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and admire his graceful smile.

Within the walls of this great city there are several monuments from various periods including those established by Jayavarman VII and his successors. Many of the structures were made of wood and therefore have not survived, the land where they once stood has now been reclaimed by the jungle, however the ruins of temples such as the Bayon and Ta Prohm can still be seen.

Getting there

The ancient city of Angkor Thom lies approximately 7km north of the modern town Siem Reap.