Angkor Thom means “Great City,” and that name describes a whole urban landscape rather than one monument. The APSARA National Authority identifies it as the largest city center of Angkor, covering about 900 hectares. Within its enclosure are temples, royal and civic spaces, roads and traces of earlier occupation. The Bayon stands near the center, while Baphuon and the former Royal Palace area make the old capital legible as a network.
The city’s defining outline is its laterite rampart and broad moat. APSARA describes a wall about 12 kilometers long, pierced by five monumental gates. Four face the cardinal directions, with two on the eastern side. The approach is part of the experience: a causeway leads toward each gate, where carved figures and the architecture turn an ordinary entrance into a carefully staged threshold.