|Banteay Srei, Angkor, Cambodia
Located 30km North West of Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei means “Citadel of the Women”. According to local folklore, this temple must have been creatd by women – the finely detailed carvings are too delicate to have come from the hand of a man. Constructed under the reign of King Rajendravarman II during the second half of the 10th century, Banteay Srei is unique in its use of pink sandstone which enabled the technique of highly detailed carving.
Banteay Srei is rather small is size when compared to the other temples of Angkor but it is the detailed carvings that give Banteay Srei its own unique personality.
|Detailed door lintel carving in pink sandstone.|
|View of the northeast corner of Banteay Srei overlooking a lotus pond.||East gopura (entry tower) of Banteay Srei. Notice the pinkish hues of the sandstone that make Banteay Srei so unique.|
|False doorway (an architectural feature common in Khmer temple design) of the north library.||Detail of balustrade and column adorning the false doorway of the north library (pictured left).|
|Detailed door lintel carving in pink sandstone. This is our favorite photograph of Banteay Srei. This detailed carving has survived in this immaculate condition for over a thousand years.|
|Detail of Sanskrit engraving giving clues as to the history and purpose of Banteay Srei.|
|Window balustrades (another architectural feature common in Khmer temple design) in the Foregound and the north library in the background.||The central sanctuary of Banteay Srei.|
|View of the main entrance to Banteay Srei. Notice the lack of tourists in this photograph, the result of a good dose of patience.|
|The central sanctuary of Banteay Srei.|