Today I visit the temple of Banteay Srei, which lies about 30 kilometres outside Siem Reap. With the traffic and the narrow roads, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the temple grounds. Banteay Srei predates Angkor Wat, it is a temple dedicated to the Hindu gods. The layout of the temple is similar to that of Angkor Wat, with a moat leading around the temple proper and a causeway cutting across to the main entrance. Unlike Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Banteay Srei was never used by the king and only served as a place of worship for the monks. The entire constructions is on one level only.
Today, the temple is best known for the detail and delicacy of its sculptures, which are mostly still in amazingly good condition. The place is worth a visit, but try to be there just after seven in the morning, it gets rather busy during the day.
knightofmalta 