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constructed during the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1220)
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| Angkor is the ancient
capital of the great Khmer/Angkor Empire (802AD - 1431AD). At the
turn of the 1st millennium, Angkor was the fourth largest city in the
world with an estimated population of 200,000 (behind only Cordova,
Spain; Kaifeng, China; and Constantinople, Byzantine Empire). At its
height, the Angkorian court ruled over much of mainland Southeast
Asia, including parts of present-day Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Below are
images of the
gates that travelers for centuries passed under to enter the "Great City" (angkor =
city; thom = large, great).
These gates and the 8 m x 12 km of walls surrounding Angkor were
commissioned by the greatest of all Khmer monarchs, King Jayavarman
VII. |
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