Banteay Samre Temple – Visiting Guide, History & Highlights

Banteay Samre, or Banteay Samrae, is perhaps one of the most beautiful of the smaller ancient temple sites almost rivalling the popular Banteay Srei site. It was built in the early 11th century as a Hindu temple under the reign of King Suryavarman II (reign 1113 – c.1150 AD) and later completed by King Yasovarman II (reign 1160 – 1166 AD) in the early 12th century. It is located about 10 km to the northeast of Angkor Wat and near the eastern edge of the ancient East Baray.

Visiting Banteay Samre

Being outside the main temple circuits, sadly this site is often overlooked while it is actually one of the more beautiful sites featuring impressive lintels and holding on to much of the ornate decorative features adorning the vestibules and shrines. It is one of the very special sites in Angkor to which you can return many times to admire the reliefs of the frontons while continually noticing new art hidden among the pilasters and base molding.

The eastern causeway and entrance are the most impressive while on the western side you can walk for around 500m along the dirt trail and see remnants of a stone causeway that leads to the edge of the now dry East Baray. The highlights of the site are numerous and include the well-preserved bas-reliefs on the frontons, tympanum/pediments, and lintels plus the remains of the ancient sarcophagus. If time permits or multiple visits are an option, look around the pilasters and base molding for hidden characters from the Hindu pantheon.

The site is open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm and an Angkor Pass is required. You can spend at least an hour here and more if you explore the two causeways. There is parking at the front of the site at the eastern entrance along with toilets and drink stalls.

Getting there – It is sealed roads all the way to the site and you can go by car, tuk-tuk, moto, or bike. It’s about 30 minutes travel time one-way by car/tuk-tuk/moto from the Siem Reap city center. To the north of here, are Krol Romeas and Prasat To.

Site Layout

While the main entrance for visitors is from the northern entrance, the traditional entrance is from the east where you can see the ruins of a stunning 300 m raised balustraded terrace and causeway which is adorned with stone lions on its main cruciform. The base molding of this cruciform terrace is as ornate as the temple itself. This was flanked by two ponds today hidden in the surrounding forest.

The site is surrounded by an enclosure wall with entry gopuras at each cardinal point. After which, you are met with a courtyard (that may have acted as the moat) that is followed by the inner galleried enclosure. Inside, a causeway joins the enclosure to the hall (or mandapa) leading to the main shrine. The main shrine is flanked on its eastern side by two stunningly ornate libraries.

Out from the west entrance, you can follow a trail that has remnants of the 500 m long bollarded causeway that led to the East Baray.

Central shrine and gopura highlights

Pilasters and base molding highlights

Lintel Highlights

Fronton/pediment highlights

Frontons on the outer gopura (entry)

• North gopura, northern side is the fight between Rama and Ravana, each mounted on his war chariot, surrounded by monkeys and asuras.
• On the north gopura, southern side, is the charge of the monkeys under the command of Rama, mounted on Hanuman, and Lakshmana, on Angada.
• On the south gopura, northern side, the construction by the monkeys of the causeway in rocks that is to enable them to attack the island of Lanka, and, on the half fronton to the right, Vishnou holding an Asura by the hair.
• On the south gopura, southern side, Hanuman carries the summit of mount Kailasa (whose magic plants will serve to revive them) to Rama and Lakshmana who have been wounded by Indrajit.
• On the west gopura, western side, the ferocious battle between the monkeys and the rakshasas and, on the eastern side, Vishnou overcoming two asuras whom he is holding by the chignon, with, on the half-fronton to the right, a line of gods on their mounts; – Vishnou with four arms on a lion, – Skanda, the god of war, with ten arms and multiple heads, on a peacock, – and Yama, the god of the Dead, on a buffalo.

Pediments and lintels inside the second enclosure

• On the east gopura, east side, the lintel over the secondary southern entrance (Krishna wrestling with the serpent Kaliya), with its fronton showing the “Churning of the Ocean” presided over by Brahma and, above the northern entrance, the “apotheosis of Vishnou on Garuda”.
• On the west side “Vishnou Trivikrama astride the world” (south entrance), “Krishna raising the mount Govardhana” (north entrance), and “the aerial attack of Indra by the Rakshasas” (middle vestibule).
• On the central sanctuary, the four lintels – almost intact and highly accentuated in relief – the southern of which shows, above a head of Kala, Vishnu with four arms overcoming two figures whom he holds by the hair (a motif which is repeated many times in the temple).
• On the north gopura, southern side, a panel of apsaras dancing to the sound of a harp, and Shiva and Uma on Nandin.
• On the west gopura, the conjunction of the sun and the moon (east side) and a line of divinities on strange mounts (west side).
• On the north library, western side, “the birth of Brahma” carried by a lotus, whose stem grows from Vishnu’s navel as he reclines on a serpent.

Credit for bas-relief descriptions: Maurice Glaze – Angkor

The eastern entrance terrace

History and Restoration Works

As mentioned, the site was constructed in the mid-12th century by King Suryavarman II (reign: 1113-1150) with it being dedicated to Vishnu and built in the style of Angkor Wat. Researchers have noted the differing art styles in places which is consistent with the belief that the site was later completed by King Yasovaraman II (reign: 1150-1160). An inscribed consecration stele was never found nor were any inscriptions to provide exact dates or the original name of the site.

Speculation abounds about whose actual sarcophagus it may be that we see occupying the hall of the central shrine, as for the sites name, a name adopted by the French. Also noting there is local folklore surrounding this site about a villager who mistakenly killed the king and after being chosen by the auspicious white elephant, he would then become the king himself, noting that a similar tale is told in other parts of Southeast Asia.

The first concise report on the site comes from Lunet de La Jonquière in the very early 1900s where he would note “Banteay Samre – the citadel of the Samre, an aboriginal tribe living in Kulen about 20 km to the east” along with recording the site layout, condition and noting the reliefs.

In 1936 the French began clearance of the site and restoration works began starting with the eastern terrace. In 1938 they reconstructed the south library and in 1939 carried out reconstruction of the central shrine and its entrance hall which was completed in 1940. Work then started on the reconstruction of the western gopura and the first enclosure wall. A jewelry mold and decorated bowl were also found at the site during these works. In 1942 they moved on to restoring the western gopura of the second enclosure. (Via Persee/BEFEO)

Between 2015 and 2021, APSARA carried out restoration work on the Naga balustrade of the inner enclosure. In 2019, APSARA began restoration works on the sarcophagus which has since been completed. New restoration works using new techniques for the balustrade are ongoing (as of 05/22).

Historical Images (Persee/Fonds Cambodge)

Most of these images come from the time of the clearance and restoration works undertaken by Maurice Glaize beginning in the 1930s.

Early Architectural Plans – EFEO

References

• Inventaire descriptif des monuments du Cambodge . Tome 3 / par E. Lunet de Lajonquière, 1902-1912
• Angkor, Maurice Glaze
• Persee/BEFEO