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Not a king's
Banteay Srei is the only major temple at Angkor not built by rulers
Consecrated on 22 April 967, it was credited to the courtiers Vishnukumara and Yajnavaraha, counsellors to King Rajendravarman II. The stela describes Yajnavaraha as a scholar and philanthropist who helped those who suffered from illness, injustice, or poverty.
The name
The name means citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty
The modern name is probably related to the intricacy of the carvings and the tiny size of the buildings. The temple was first named Tribhuvanamaheshvara, after the Shiva statue that served as its central image.
The stone
Red sandstone that can be carved like wood
Banteay Srei is built largely of a hard red sandstone that can be carved like wood. The medium suits the elaborate decorative carvings on its walls, which can still be seen today.
A theft
André Malraux took four devatas in 1923, and the figures were returned
The temple was rediscovered in 1914. André Malraux stole four devatas in 1923, was soon arrested, and the figures were returned. The incident stimulated interest in the site, which was cleared the following year.
Rebuilt
In the 1930s it saw the first important use of anastylosis at Angkor
Anastylosis restores a ruined building using the original architectural elements as far as possible. Until the stela was found in 1936, the extreme decoration had been assumed to indicate a later date.
Day 3, midday
It comes after Kbal Spean. Then Cambodia Landmine Museum.
More stories from this trip idea
The words are a retelling of the Wikipedia article Banteay Srei, and are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. They are checked against those articles, and a fact that is not in them is left out.