For many tourists, Banteay Srei is Angkor's most beautiful temple, the "jewel of Khmer art". In a beautiful departure from Angkor's other structures, Banteay Srei is faced with finely-carved pink sandstone covered with beautifully detailed carvings; some of these illustrate scenes from the Hindu epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The name Banteay Srei, which translates to "Temple of the Women", may be attributed to the temple's relatively small scale and the fineness of the artwork.
Visitors will cross a moat to enter the temple, and are allowed to enter as far as the first surrounding enclosure, but must go no further than the pathway that surrounds the temple itself. This measure prevents Banteay Srei from being swamped by visitors. It's a good thing, too: tourists would never have an unobstructed view of the temple otherwise, although this also means you'll never get to examine the exquisitely-detailed carvings up close.
TRIVIA: In a land where kings dictated the construction of temples, Banteay Srei is also an exception: the temple was completed in 967 by Yajnavaraha, an important court official under King Rajendravarman.
