Tour Description
Banteay Srei
We will visit only two wonderful archaeological sites of Angkor, Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean. It will be a good learning experience learning about the history and culture of Cambodia.
When we pick you up at the hotel, we will begin our tour with Banteay Srei temple, meaning the “Citadel of the Women” or “the Citadel of Beauty”. It is located about 35km northeast of Siem Reap city. The only temple that wasn’t constructed by a monarch, Banteay Srei was built in 10th century by two courtiers of King Rajendravarman II, Vishnukumara and Yajnavaraha. This temple was Consecrated on 22 April 967 A.D and dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva.
Banteay Srei is considered as a “precious gem” or “the jewel of Khmer art” because it is different from the other temples in Cambodia and was built from pink sandstone. Most of the structures and decorative wall carvings are still noticeable today. Many Cambodian people think that this temple was built by women because of its very beautiful carvings that could only have been done by women.
Beng Mealea
Then, we’ll continue our tour northeast to Beng Mealea temple that is about 50km from the Rolous Group. The history of the temple is not clear. Many archaeologists assume that this temple was built during the Angkor Wat period in the early 12th century because its style of architecture looks exactly the same as Angkor Wat. Thus, this temple was built during king Suryavarman II’s reign who also constructed Angkor Wat temple.
In 1992, Beng Mealea became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known as “the sister of Angkor Wat” due to its identical design. The temple has collapsed because of the growth of trees and a long period of civil war. As a result, there are blocks of sandstones lying on the ground. Many tourists don’t make their way to Beng Mealea due to the distance. Thus, it becomes a mysterious and peaceful temple among many other temples in Siem Reap.
