Banteay Srei, 10th-century Cambodian temple
Banteay Srei is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
The temple was rediscovered only in 1914, and was the subject of a celebrated case of art theft when André Malraux stole four devatas in 1923.
The temple's modern name, Banteay Srei — citadel of the women, or citadel of beauty— is probably related to the intricacy of the bas relief carvings found on the walls and the tiny dimensions of the buildings themselves.
Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today.
The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction.
Location: Siem Reap
Inception: 967
Architect: Rajendravarman II
Opening Hours: 07:30-17:30
Sources: Wikimedia, OpenStreetMap