|
|
|
|
BANTEAY
SREI - The Citadel of the women
The tenth century
temple of Banteay Srei is renowned for its intricate decoration
carved in pinkish sandstone that covers the walls like tapestry.
This site warrants as much time as your schedule allows. The roads
have been recently repaired and it takes about 30 minutes from
Siem
Reap to get to the temple. To reach Banteay Srei, follow the main
road north out of
Siem Reap, turn right at
Angkor Wat and follow the
road to Srah Srang where you turn right past Pre Rup. At the East Mebon there is a check post where you need to obtain clearnce. Turn
right again at the road before the East Mebon; pass through the
village of Phoum Pradak, where there is a junctions (if you continue
straight, after about 5 minutes, you will reach
Banteay Samre). At
this point, you come to a fork; take the road on the left and follow
it to Batneay Srei which you will reach shortly after crossing two
rivers - on your left hand side. |
 |
|
|
Banteay Srei is an exquisite miniature; a
fairy palace in the heart of an immense and mysterious forest;
the very thing that Grimm delighted to imagine, and that every
child's heart has yearned after, but which mature years has
sadly proved too lovely to be true. And here it is, in the
Cambodian forest at Banteay Srei, carved not out of the stuff
that dreams are made of, but of solid sandstone.
|
 |
|
Carving at Banteay Srei |
Location: 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) north-east of East
Mebon
Access: enter and leave the temple by the east entrance
Date: second half of the 10th century (967)
King: Rajendravarman II (reigned 944-968) and Jayavarman V
(reigned 968-1001)
Religion: Hindu (dedicated to Shiva)
Art style: Banteay Srei
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Women carving |
|
BACKGROUND
The enchanting temple of Banteay Srei is nearly everyone's favorite
site. The special charm of this temple lies in its remarkable state
of preservation, small size and excellence of decoration.
The
unanimous opinion amongst French archaeologists who worked at Angkor
is that Banteay Srei is a 'precious gem' and a 'jewel in Khmer art'.
Banteay Srei, as it is known by locals, was originally called
Isvarapura, according to inscriptions. It was by a Brahmin of royal
descent who was spiritual teacher to Jayavarman V. Some describe it
a s being closer in architecture and decoration to Indian models
than any other temple at Angkor. A special feature of the exquisite
decoration was the use of a hard pink sandstone (quartz arenite)
where enabled the 'technique of sandalwood carving with even an
Indian scent to it'. |
|
[Back to top]
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL COMPLEX LIST |
|
|
|
National Museum
|
|
|
Recommended Tour Packages:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
