Angkor Thom (which was previously called Nokor Thom, or 'Great City') was the last and most enduring capital of the Khmer Empire. It was established in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII, considered by historians to be the most powerful of the Khmer monarchs. He was a prolific planner, builder and innovator and was also the first Khmer king devoted to Buddhism (only one previous monarch was a Buddhist). At the center of his capital he built a magnificent Buddhist temple called Bayon that is still standing today. It is a multi-faceted, multi-towered temple that mixes both Buddhist and Hindu iconography. Along its outer walls are startling bas-reliefs depicting the Khmer army and its camp followers on the march; another section depicts a famous naval battle on Tonle Sap Lake against the invading Cham army. Our visit to Angkor Thom began at the South Gate (one of the entrances into the capital) and then we continued on to visit the famous Bayon Temple. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this temple is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces of Brahma (the Hindu god known as "the Creator" who, together with gods Vishnu and Shiva, form the trinity of supreme divinity referred to as the Trimurti). These large stone faces, which are believed to be modeled after the image of King Jayavarman VII himself, jut out from the sides of every tower on the upper terraces.