Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Banteay Srei

So these photos are of my favorite Angkor temple, Banteay Srei. It is the only temple in Angkor that wasn't built by a monarch. Yajnavaraha, a councillor/doctor to a king with an even longer name, Rajendravarman, built in 967 (pre-Angkor Wat) and dedicated it to Shiva. The temple is actually on the dividing line between the temples dedicated to Vishnu and those to Shiva.
The best part about Banteay Srei is that it's made of red sandstone (all the other Angkor temples are made of grey sandstone). Red sandstone is a lot harder than grey sandstone, so the intricate carvings all over the temple look gorgeous and brand new!




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