Who commissioned the construction of Banteay Srei?

Courtiers named Vishnukumara and Yajnavaraha built the complex while serving as counsellors to the reigning monarch.

Which deities is the temple dedicated to?

The sanctuary was primarily dedicated to Shiva, with southern buildings dedicated to Shiva and northern structures dedicated to Vishnu.

What material was used to build the temple?

The complex was constructed primarily out of red sandstone, which enabled the creation of detailed wall carvings.

What restoration technique was applied to the ruins?

Conservators used anastylosis to rebuild the structures, reassembling the original stone components to recreate the monuments.

What is the meaning behind the modern name of the site?

The modern name translates to citadel of women or citadel of beauty, referencing the delicate carvings and the miniature proportions of the enclosures.

Siem Reap · Cambodia

Banteay Srei: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents based around the rural perimeter must maintain their own motorbikes or arrange private drivers daily, because municipal transit and market supply chains stop short of the outer heritage zone.

About the place

Within two hours

Angkor≈ 40 min Preah Khan≈ 40 min Banteay Kdei≈ 40 min

About the place

Carved from red sandstone, the sanctuary stands apart from surrounding Angkorian monuments through its miniature proportions and exceptionally deep relief work.

Royal counsellors Vishnukumara and Yajnavaraha founded the complex rather than a reigning monarch, establishing a settlement named Ishvarapura around the shrine. The layout divides along an east-west axis, separating structures dedicated to Shiva in the south from those honoring Vishnu in the north. Red sandstone walls allowed stonecutters to execute detailed decorative relief panels that remain preserved across the miniature halls.

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Conservation teams used anastylosis to rebuild the collapsed enclosures with their original blocks, pioneering the method across the wider archaeological park. Joint Swiss and Cambodian conservation programmes later added underground drainage channels and cleared threatening root systems. Repeated looting prompted authorities to transfer authentic statuary to the National Museum in Phnom Penh, leaving concrete replicas on site.

Associations

Red sandstone reliefFine grain allows intricate sculptural detailing across walls
Anastylosis reconstructionPioneered the technique of reassembling original masonry blocks
YajnavarahaRoyal counsellor and scholar who commissioned the religious sanctuary
Statue lootingVandalism forced the relocation of authentic figures to Phnom Penh

Facts

The complex was commissioned by court counsellors rather than the Khmer monarch.
Structures south of the main axis honor Shiva, while northern pavilions honor Vishnu.
Restoration workers dismantled and reassembled the ruined masonry using anastylosis.
Original stone statues were relocated to the National Museum in Phnom Penh to prevent theft.

Updated September 21, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Banteay Srei: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Carved from red sandstone, the sanctuary stands apart from surrounding Angkorian monuments through its miniature proportions and exceptionally deep relief work.

Getting there and staying

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