Welcome.The Banteay Srei Temple, citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty is a 10th century temple dedicated to Shiva. One of the smaller temple complexes of Angkor it was more challenging to photograph without the crowds. The buildings are also small, one of the reasons perhaps that it is called "the Ladies Temple".
It's popularity is due the its unique diminutive size and the beautiful carvings.
It remained in use until the fourteenth century.
I hope you enjoy visiting Banteay Srei temple It was definitely a favourite with us
This is the outer entrance.....
with just a few tourists who had the same idea
of arriving early
Beautiful colours
A group of local Cambodian ladies catching up
with all the news
Popular angle for a shot of the temple complex
and the reflection in the water
Still outside the inner sanctuary.
The site consists of three
concentric rectangular enclosures
constructed on an east-west axis
This causeway leads from an outer gopura,
or gate, to the third or outermost of the
three enclosures
It was relatively easy to restore
buildings due to the durability
of the hard sandstone
The temple was only rediscovered
in 1914
Grand!
The monkey guards of the sanctuary.......
....never leave their post
The gopuras are very small. I
had to bend significantly to
go through with my head intact
on my shoulders!
The temple is made of hard red sandstone that
can be carved like wood. Very useful for the
artists who could carve intricate figures into the
walls and pediments
It creates a sense of wonder to
see the detail and there is so
much of it everywhere
The blackened figure you can
see above the doorway is Shiva
Nataraja
These are the buildings of the
inner sanctuary which
includes two libraries
Daniela.....framed
Two little ones and a little puppy have an
ancient temple as their playground
Lots of cobwebs!
Fantastic trees just outside
the temple
A local salute as we are leaving
