Banteay Srei is a 10th Century Khmer temple located within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap town. Bantaey Srei is open every day to visitors every day from 05:30 until 17:00 and to enter you need to buy a pass for the Angkor Archaeological Park which costs $37 for 1 day, $62 for 3 days, and $72 for 7 days.
About Banteay Srei Temple
Banteay Srei is a small and unusual temple located in the northern section of the Angkor Archaeological Park, about 20 km away from the more famous temples. The most likely reason why this temple is different from other temples in the area is that is the only temple not built by the ruling royal family. The temple’s diminutive size may in part have due to the relative lack of funds behind this private enterprise and in part due to a desire not to offend the Khmer ruling family by building a temple that rivalled royal temples in terms of size. Banteay Srei may not be large, but it is beautiful. The temple features many intricate carvings representing scene from Hindu mythology. The temple is constructed, for the greater part, from pink sandstone. This material can be carved in a similar way to wood allowing craftsmen to create the fantastic reliefs that make this temple well worth visiting.
Banteay Srei in Siem ReapBanteay Srei originally consisted of 4 square enclosures, each smaller than the one before. The outer wall has now disappeared and all that remain is the gopura entrance that was the main access point to the temple. The next wall, which is a rectangle measuring 95 metres by 110 metres, has two gopura entrances on an east-west access. The space between the outer wall and the third wall was originally occupied by a moat with a causeway. The next enclosure is bounded by another wall which measures 38 by 42 metres. There are another two gopura entrance in this wall leading to the inner enclosure. The inner enclosure has three towers the tallest of which, the central tower, is nearly 10 metres tall. The three central towers are flanked by two libraries. The inner enclosure is the most elaborately decorated part of the temple with carvings depicting scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.
Location of Banteay Srei Temple
Banteay Srei Temple is located 34.8 km by road from Siem Reap Town.
