This is quite one of the most astounding and mysterious places I have ever seen. The Bayon is a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of his capital, Angkor Thom. The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene, enigmatic and smiling stone faces on its many towers. Are these meant to depict the king or the Buddha? Or perhaps both merged into a single entity? Nobody knows.Angkor Thom, Cambodia - 21 January 2005 A triumph of Medieval Khmer culture, the treasures of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom in Cambodia are incomparable. Angkor Thom (Great City) was the last and most enduring capital city of the Khmer empire. It was established in the late twelfth century by King Jayavarman VII. Many of its temples were submerged by tropical forest for centuries, and trees continue to shatter and pierce the ruins. The Bayon is one of Angkor Thom's treasures, with vast displays of bas-relief faces - possibly of either the King or the Buddha - or perhaps both?