Banteay Srei Temple

What is Banteay Srei?

In Khmer "Banteay Srei" means the "City of women", but this is a contemporary name probably deriving from a phonetic pronunciation of Banteay Sri, the "auspicious city", which is not the original name of the monument. Inscriptions discovered in the monument give its original Sanskrit name as "Isvarapura", the "city of Shiva". Banteay Srei was a shivaite temple: the main idol located in the central sanctuary-tower was a linga, the phallic representation of Shiva.

Although small in size, Banteay Srei is one of the jewels of Khmer art due to the outstanding quality of its sculpted décor, carved from red sandstone. A single-storey structure, the complex of buildings making up Banteay Srei is organised on an east-west axis.

A place of worship, it was also a pilgrimage site with the duty to provide hospitality. A representation of the celestial residence of the Gods modelled on Indian ideas, this temple was hierarchically organised. The central complex of the monument, at present accessible to tourists, must have been reserved to an elite, whereas the long walkway and its surrounding buildings to the east of the main complex were open to everyone.

When was Banteay Srei Built?

Banteay Srei was built under the reign of two Angkorian Kings in the late 10th century. Although Banteay Srei was funded privately, King Rajendravarman (944-968) the temple. Yajñavaraha, one of the founders of the temple, was a high-ranking officer during the reign of Rajendravarmean. The King awarded him land where three shivaite temples were erected by him, including Bateay Srei, in association with his younger brother. Consecrated in 967, the temple was not completed when Rajendravarmen died in 968. The construction continued during the reign of Jayavarman V, with Yajñavaraha acting as his tutor.

How was Banteasy Srei Restored?

Discovered in 1914, it was only after the looting of several bas-reliefs in 1923 that the École Française d'Extême-Orient (EFEO, French School of Asian Studies) began clearing the site one year later. The Angkor Conservation under the aegis of the EFEO implemented the first restorations in Banteay Srei between 1931 and 1936. Additional restoration efforts were implemented in 1952.

Due to the political situation from 1972 until 1992, no restoration work was carried out at that time. After the inscription of Angkor on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992, the Banteay Srei site remained isolated until 1998, as visiting the monument was forbidden by the authorities on security grounds. In 2001 the ASPSARA National Authority (APSARA) began maintenance work on site and closed the central part of the temple to the public in order to protect the bas-reliefs.

From 2002-2005 the APSARA and the Swiss government together implemented a conservation programme. The cooperation was continued in 2007-2008 with the new development of the Banteay Srei forecourt, better protecting the temple and facilitation the management of tourism-flow.