Editing Angkor Thom (section)

== History ==
[[File:Le_Bayon_(Angkor_Thom)_(6918753837).jpg|left|thumb|[[Bayon]]]]

Angkor Thom was established as the capital of Jayavarman VII's empire and was the centre of his massive building program. One inscription found in the city refers to Jayavarman as the groom and the city as his bride.<ref name="Higham" />{{Rp|121}}

Angkor Thom seems not to be the first Khmer capital on the site, however. [[Yasodharapura]], dating from three centuries earlier, was centred slightly further northwest, and Angkor Thom overlapped parts of it. The most notable earlier temples within the city are the former state temple of [[Baphuon]], and [[Phimeanakas]], which was incorporated into the Royal Palace. The Khmers did not draw any clear distinctions between Angkor Thom and Yashodharapura; even in the 14th century, an inscription used the earlier name.<ref name="Higham">[[Charles Higham (archaeologist)|Higham, Charles]]. 2001. ''The Civilization of Angkor''. Phoenix. {{ISBN|1-84212-584-2}}.</ref>{{Rp|138}} The name of Angkor Thom—great city—was in use from the 16th century.

The last temple known to have been constructed in Angkor Thom was [[Mangalartha]], which was dedicated in 1295. Thereafter the existing structures continued to be modified from time to time, but any new creations were in perishable materials and have not survived.

The [[Ayutthaya Kingdom]], led by King [[Borommarachathirat II]], sacked Angkor Thom, forcing the Khmers under [[Ponhea Yat]] to relocate their capital southeast to [[Phnom Penh]].<ref name="prince">Chakrabongse, C., 1960, Lords of Life, London: Alvin Redman Limited</ref>{{rp|29}}

Angkor Thom was abandoned sometime prior to 1609, when an early western visitor wrote of an uninhabited city, "as fantastic as the [[Atlantis]] of [[Plato]]".<ref name="Higham" />{{Rp|140}} It is believed to have sustained a population of 80,000–150,000 people.

''[[The Poem of Angkor Wat]]'' composed in Khmer verse in 1622 describes the beauty of Angkor Thom.