Angkor Thom was the capital of the Khmer empire and was first built under the reign of king Udayadityavarman II in the 11th Century. After the Chams from Vietnam invaded and sacked the city, the city was renovated under the reign of king Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th century. There is evidence that the city and its surroundings was home to more than a million people. Angkor Thom was abandoned in the early 17th century.

The total area of Angkor Thom within the city walls is 9 km. It holds several monumental temples from earlier eras such as the Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King. Angkor Thom was the centre of Jayavarman VII’s empire. It was built in the Bayon style and holds five entrances, one each on the north, south and west end and two more on the east end of the city. Each gate holds a tower about 23 meters high, which are connected by an 8 meter high wall. The towers are all decorated with the face of Jayavarman VII.

Extensive restoration is currently being undertaken in order to restore the most significant sites of Angkor Thom. You could easily spend an afternoon wandering around the site. The carvings of the Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King are impressive, as is the sight of the currently reconstructed Baphuon.