The Royal Palace, Angkor Thom, Royal palace and archaeological site in Angkor Thom, Cambodia.
The Royal Palace is a large palace complex in Angkor Thom with laterite walls enclosing a rectangular area. Five sandstone gateways provide access to the grounds, with the main entrance facing eastward.
The palace was built in the 11th century under King Suryavarman I and served as the administrative center of the Khmer Empire. It remained a central seat of power until the late 16th century.
The walls display carved scenes of horse heads, royal processions, and legends featuring nagas that you can observe while walking through the grounds. These reliefs tell stories from Khmer life and remain visible to visitors today.
The compound is entered through five sandstone gopuras with steps; the largest faces east, aligned with the Elephant Terrace and Victory Gate. The interior ground sits 1.2 metres above the outside, so expect stone steps at the entrances. The Large Pond lies within the walls, with 13 tiers of steps descending 5.32 metres to laterite paving.
A large artificial pond with 13 tiers of laterite steps sits within the palace walls. This pond likely served both ritual and practical purposes and remains visible today.
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