Overrun with vegetation when it was discovered, the anastylosis has brought out the beauty of this small temple one of the finest monuments of the Angkor group, and one of the most complete. Banteay Samre is a complete composition of impeccable proportions, its very well preserved ornamentation is exceptional in quality. Absence of any inscriptions does not allow to know the construction, nevertheless, from its style, Banteay Samre is believed to be contemporaneous of Angkor Wat.
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We entered the site from east walking the 200 m long causeway with naga balustrades and stone lions, pestered by a swarm of young boys and girls trying to sell their colored paper origami. The pools on both sides have long gone.
Following the causeway we reached the second enclosure formed by an imposing laterite wall with four axial gopuras. The anastylosis, although partial, the roofs are missing, enabled the complete restoration of their tympana reliefs of the frontons and half frontons of the gopuras of the second enclosure describing various episodes of the battle of Lanka.
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Banteay Samre
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Within the outer walls and the first enclosure there is a grassy courtyard, steps lead steeply to the raised
first enclosure. The internal enclosure (the first enclosure), is a narrow laterite gallery, the small corners pavilions are closed to the exterior giving the feeling of being prison cells. Unusually it is has been possible to reconstruct the gallery ridge finials. Four axial gopuras give access to the inner courtyard. They are all the same, formed by central core with a false upper storey and projecting vestibules with two small lateral wings that, on the eastern gopura only, form secondary entrances. Inside the enclosure the buildings, with steps and balustrades of nagas, are all perched high on platforms leaving only little room to the courtyard at the lower level. Interesting tympana together with the decorative bands and delightful figurines embellish the various buildings.
East gopura I - east side, the fronton over the secondary southern
entrance shows the Churning of the Ocean.
North gopura I - southern side, a panel of apsaras dancing to the sound of a harp, and Shiva and Uma on Nandin.
West gopura I - inner side fronton (east side) the conjunction of the sun and the moon and on the outer side (west) a line of divinities on strange mounts.
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A platform gives access to the long room preceding the central sanctuary. Within the courtyard two elegant
libraries. On the north library, western side, "the birth of Brahma" carried by a lotus whose stem grows from Vishnou's navel as he reclines on
the serpent.
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Banteay Samre
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We completed our visit giving a look to the frontons of the gopuras of the external walls of the second enclosure.
West gopura II - the fronton of the inner side (east) shows Vishnou holding two asuras by the chignon, 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. On the outer side (west) the ferocious battle between the monkeys and the rakshasas. In front of the west gopura there are only traces of the entrance terrace, from here an avenue in the forest leaves the temple.
South gopura II - the fronton of the outer side (south) shows Hanuman, Rama and the wounded Lakshmana.
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