Buddhist Terrace of Banteay Kdei

Located inside the third enclosure of Banteay Kdei temple, on the eastern side south of the causeway, are the remnants of a Buddhist Terrace and what may be a chedi or reliquary. It’s thought that both would post date the 12th-13th century date of the site and belong to the late/post-Angkor era.

The terrace is an elongated platform on an east-west axis with a pedestal/balan at its western end that may have once supported a Buddha image. This structure is somewhat crudely constructed from materials likely recycled from the temple proper. It is demarcated by sima (boundary stones) pairs that are notched to form “shoulders” in a style that curiously reflects 12th-century decorative niches (note the base of pillars at Angkor Wat) and inscription steles.

At the laterite structure just outside the third enclosure and south of the causeway, several roof spires from the temple proper appear to have been remodelled into a stupa. Another is seen inside the temple proper that actually features a Buddha image.

Images: September 2022-2024

Historical Images

Fonds Cambodge/EFEO has a large number of historical images of Banteay Kdei, three particular images may be relevant to the era of the terrace, just before and perhaps just after, or at least connected by Theravada faith.