"ANGKOR THOM" a Angkor Wat Travel Page by sunnywong

Within Angkor Thom, one can admire the famous Bayon Temple, which emerges from the jungle as an incredible forest of heads. Built by Jayavarman VII in the twelfth century, its 100-metre wide moat extending 12 kilometres - larger than any walled city of medieval Europe.

The smoky colours of the Bayon add to the eeriness of this most haunting and impressive of all Khmer monuments. Its 45 metre high tower is topped by four huge carved heads, and surrounded by 54 towers, at different levels, each containing four mysterious smiling faces. These faces are said to resemble Jayavarman VII himself as the omnipresence of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvaara.