Banteay Srei
បន្ទាយស្រី
A small 10th-century temple of pink sandstone, carved so finely that it is called the 'jewel of Khmer art'. It lies about 35 km from the city centre.
Banteay Srei was built in 967. It is unusual in that a Brahmin, rather than a king, oversaw its construction, and it is dedicated to Shiva. The temple is small but built of finely grained pink sandstone. Mythological scenes on the lintels, gables and niches, including the Dance of Shiva, stories from the Ramayana and Indra riding a three-headed elephant, are carved so sharply they look almost like woodcarving, earning it the title 'pearl of Khmer art'.
The name means 'citadel of women', and because the carving is so intricate, later generations guessed it was made by women. In 1923, the French writer Malraux was arrested for attempting to steal carvings from the temple, and the incident led to legislation protecting Angkor's monuments.
The temple lies about 25 km northeast of the main Angkor complex and about 35 km from Siem Reap city. A tuk-tuk round trip takes about an hour. It is usually combined with Beng Mealea or Phnom Kulen as an outer-circuit day trip, and it is covered by the Angkor Pass, so no separate ticket is needed. The central area is closed to visitors, so you can only view the temple from the outer path, and the visit takes about an hour. At the entrance, a small exhibition hall explains the restoration process and the meaning of the carvings. It is worth visiting first.
The surroundings are Cambodian countryside, and you can stop at the Cambodian Landmine Museum (US$5) on the way. Arrive when the gates open at 7:30 a.m. to avoid tour groups after 9 a.m.
Opening hours
07:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Cambodia Landmine Museum
- Kbal Spean
- Ta Som
- Phnom Kulen National Park
- Neak Pean
- Banteay Samré
- East Mebon
- Preah Khan