The Bayon temple, built in the late 12th or early 13th century by King Jayavarman VII, is now over 800 years old. Located at the center of Angkor Thom, Bayon is distinguished by its numerous serene and smiling stone faces of Buddha, possibly modeled after Jayavarman VII himself. This temple, unique for its "baroque" Khmer architecture, symbolizes a shift from Hinduism to Mahayana Buddhism, reflecting its significance in Buddhist religious practices​.