Globe Hopping with Irma

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Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom was built as the capital during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, between the late 12th to early 13th century. He is believed to be the most powerful Khmer monarch at all time. This site covers an area about nine km2 and houses several monuments from the times of earlier monarchs as well as King Jayavarman’s successors. The south gate of Angkor Thom is about seven km north of Siem Reap and almost two km north of Angkor Wat’s entrance, with a wall of eight metres high and a moat of 3 km.

Angkor Thom was built Bayon style architecture. When Ayutthaya Kingdom took over from mid 14th to late 18th century, they forced Khmers to relocate the capital southeast. It was abandoned sometime in the early 17th century.