Banteay Srei is considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of
Angkorian art. A Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, it is cut from stone
of a pinkish hue and includes some of the finest stone carving seen
anywhere on earth. It is one of the smallest sites at Angkor, but what
it lacks in size it makes up for in stature. It is wonderfully well
preserved and many of its carvings are three-dimensional.
Construction
on Banteay Srei began in AD 967 and it is one of the few temples around
Angkor not to be commissioned by a king, but by a Brahman, who may have
been a tutor to Jayavarman V. The temple is square and has entrances at
the east and west, the east approached by a causeway. Of interest are
the lavishly decorated libraries and the three central towers, which are
decorated with male and female divinities and beautiful filigree relief
work.
Classic carvings at Banteay Srei include delicate women
with lotus flowers in hand and traditional skirts clearly visible, as
well as breathtaking re-creations of scenes from the epic Ramayana
adorning the library pediments (carved inlays above a lintel). However,
the sum of the parts is no greater than the whole - almost every inch of
these interior buildings is covered in decoration. Standing watch over
such perfect creations are the mythical guardians, all of which are
copies of originals stored in the National Museum .
Banteay Srei
was the first major temple-restoration undertaken by the EFEO in 1930
using the anastylosis method. The project, as evidenced today, was a
major success and soon led to other larger projects such as the
restoration of the Bayon.
When Banteay Srei was first
rediscovered, it was assumed to be from the 13th or 14th centuries, as
the refined carving must have come at the end of the Angkor period. It
was later dated to AD 967, from inscriptions found at the site. However,
some scholars are once again calling for a revision of this date, given
that the style of this temple and its carvings are unlike anything else
seen in the 10th century. New theories suggest that like the great
cathedrals of Europe, some Angkorian temples may have been destroyed and
then rebuilt, or altered beyond recognition, and that the inscription
stele at Banteay Srei relates to an earlier structure on the site, not
the delicate flower of a temple we see today.
Banteay Srei is
21km northeast of Bayon or about 32km from Siem Reap. It is well
signposted and the road is surfaced all the way - a trip from Siem Reap
should take about one hour. Moto and remorque drivers will want a bit of
extra cash to come out here, so agree on a sum first. It is possible to
combine a visit to Banteay Srei with a trip to the River of a Thousand
Lingas at Kbal Spean and Beng Mealea, or to Banteay Samré and Phnom Bok.
This temple has been dubbed by some the Mona Lisa. And there are 51 turrets around this temple and each with four faces. The temple is surrounded by long walls and two bearing an exceptional collection of scenes of legendary and historical events of the relief. And the total of all of the more than 11,000 carved figures and over 1.2 miles of wall. The walls here are still very pure and still like the time formerly Scorpion.
