Banteay Kdei

Banteay Kdei, a massive Buddhist monastery located southeast of Ta Prohm and east of Angkor Thom was built from the latter part of the 12th century, is surrounded by four concentric walls. The outer wall measures 500m by 700m. Each of these four entrances is decorated with garuda, which hold aloft one of Jayavarman VII’s favourite themes: The Four Faces of Avalokiteshvara. The inside of the central tower as never finished and much of the temple is in a ruinous state due to hasty construction. It is considerably less busy than nearby Ta Prohm and this alone ca justify a visit.

Just east of Banteay Kdei is a basin of earlier construction, Sra Srang (Pool of Ablutions), measuring 800m by 400m. A tiny island in the middle once bore a wooden temple, of which only the stone base remains. This is a beautiful body of water from which to take in a quiet sunrise.

Banteay Kdei has been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries, but the inscription stone has never been discovered so it is unknown to whom the temple is dedicated.