Banteay Kdei Temple , Siem Reap

 

Banteay Kdei , meaning "A Citadel of Chambers" , also known as "Citadel of Monks' cells , is a Buddhist temple in Angkor, Cambodia. It is located southeast of Ta Prohm and east of Angkor Thom .

Built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries during the reign of Jayavarman VII (who was posthumously given the title "Maha paramasangata pada) , it is in the Bayon architectural style, similar in plan to Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, but less complex and smaller .

Its structures are contained within two successive enclosure walls, and consist of two concentric galleries from which emerge towers, preceded to the east by a cloister .



This Buddhist monastic complex is currently dilapidated due to faulty construction and poor quality of sandstone used in its buildings,and is now undergoing renovation.Banteay Kdei had been occupied by monks at various intervals over the centuries until the 1960s .

The Banteay Kdei, one of the many Angkor temples, is located in the Angkor Archaeological Park of 400 square kilometres (150 sq mi) area. The ancient city of Angkor during the Khmer Empire extended from Tonle Sap to the Kulen hills covering a vast area of 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi).



The temple is approached from the east gopura of Ta Prohm along a 600 metres (2,000 ft) path. This path leads to the west gate entrance gopura of Banteay Kdei. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) east of Angkor Thom .

The Khmer Empire lasted from 802 to 1431, initially under Hindu religious beliefs up to the end of the 12th century and later under Buddhist religious practices. It was a time when temples of grandeur came to be built and reached a crescendo during the reign of Suryavarman II until 1191, and later in the 12th–13th centuries, under Jayavarman VII .



Many Buddhist temples were built, including the Banteay Kdei, from middle of the 12th century to early 13th century. Though Jayavarman VII was credited with building many temples, he was also accused of squandering money on extravagant temple building projects at the expense of society and other duties .

Jayavarman VII had come to power at the age of 55 after defeating Chams who had invaded Angkor and subjected it to devastation. His "prodigious activity" resulted in the restoration of Cambodia from its ruins .