|
 The
citadel of the cells . In
the ruin and confusion of
Banteay Kdei the carvings
take one's interest. They
are piquant, exquisite, not
too frequent... they seem
meant.. to make adorable a
human habitation.
Banteay Kdei is located
south of Ta Prohm. A enter
the monument from the west
and leave at the west or
vice versa, either way, also
visit Srah Srang.
It was built in middle of
the 12th century to the
beginning of the 13th
century by king Jayavarman
II in Mahaya Buddhism with
following at least two
different art periods Angkor
Wat and Bayon -are
discernible at Banteay Kdei.
Background
Banteay Kdei has not been
restored and allows the
visitor to experience what
it may have looked like
originally. Changes and
additions account for is
unbalanced layout. Banteay
Kdei was built of soft
sandstone and many of the
galleries and porches have
collapsed. The wall
enclosing the temple was
built of reused stones.
Layout
The temple is built on the
ground level use as a
Buddhist monastery. The
elements of the original
design of Banteay Kdei seem
to have been a Central
Sanctuary (5), a surrounding
gallery (6) and a passageway
connected to another
gallery. A moat enclosed the
original features of the
temple. Another enclosure
and two libraries were among
the additions in the Bayon
period. The outer enclosure
(700 by 500 meters 2,297 by
1,640feet) is made of
laterite (1) and has four
entry towers.
A rectangular courtyard to
the east is known as 'the
hall of the dancing girls',
a name derived from the
decoration which includes
dancers (2)
The entry tower of the
second enclosure (3) is in
the shape of a cross with
three passages; the two on
either end are connected to
the literate wall of the
enclosure (4) 320 by 200
scrolls of figures and large
female divinities in niches.
In the interior court there
is a frieze of Buddha.
A causeway of a later date,
bordered with serpents,
leads to the entry tower of
the third enclosure. It
comprises a laetrile wall
(6) includes a gallery with
a double row of sandstone
pillars that open onto a
courtyard. Tip Parts of this
area have been walled in and
passage is limited.
Vestiges of the wooden
ceiling can still be seen in
the central Sanctuary. The
galleries and halls, which
join it in a cross to the
four entry towers, are
probably additions. Two
libraries (7) open to the
west in the courtyards on
the left and right of the
causeway. |
