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Angkor Thom

Type Object Region Southeast Asia Time c. 802–1431

Angkor Thom was the Khmer Empire's last and longest-lasting capital, newly built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century, with walls about 3 km pe…

Timeline

  1. c. 802–1000Yasodharapura (Angkor region) · CambodiaJayavarman II established the Hindu Shiva worship and the deification of royal authority; the capital gradually expanded on the Tonle Sap plain relying on the hydraulic system, forming an early royal city layout.
  2. c. 1113–1150Angkor Wat · Siem Reap ProvinceSuryavarman II (r. ca. 1113–ca. 1150) built the state temple of Angkor Wat south of Yasodharapura, further consolidating the capital's ritual and administrative functions. The walls of Angkor Thom itself had not yet appeared, belonging to the next stage of Jayavarman VII's projects.
  3. c. 1181–1220Angkor Thom · CambodiaJayavarman VII newly built Angkor Thom, forming a Mahayana Buddhist royal city with structures such as the Bayon and the Terrace of the Elephants; the walls, moats, and avenue system marked the capital's entry into its fullest form.
  4. c. 1431–1600Angkor region · CambodiaSiamese military pressure and the neglect of the hydraulic system led the center of royal power to shift eastward; Angkor Thom gradually fell into ruin, becoming a ruins settlement hidden in the jungle.

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