Banteay Srei
The temple of Banteay Srei ( the citadel of the women ) is located on the site of the old town of Iśvarapura at 20 km at the North-East of Angkor, is built at the 10th century in a superb pink sandstone and probably devoted in 967, under the reign of Jayavarman V and dedicated to Tribhuvanamaheśvara (the Seigneur of the Three Worlds ). It discovered and was released tardily (1924) by the archeologists of the French École of the Far East who reflect in value the exceptional state of freshness of his decorations.
It is on this site that starting from 1931, the team of the EFEO directed by Henri Marchal developed the restoration by Anastylose which made it possible to give again all their gloss with several other monuments of Angkor (Baphuon, Terrasse of the leprous King in particular).
It is also by concealing a lintel of Banteay Srei that André Malraux was taken in red-handed of plundering in 1923.
Currently, in front of the surge of tourists, it is not possible any more to visit the central sanctuary, because of its small size.
See too
- Royal roads, of Andre Malraux, Interallied Price 1930