Prasat Kraven, Srah Shrang, Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup and East Mebon Temples 10/29/09

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REVISED 11/1/09 TO INCLUDE PRE RUP TEMPLE AND RELABEL PHOTOS (heh, all these temples start to look the same after a while).

Prasat Kraven Temple (also called the Cardamom Sanctuary) is an unusual temple for this area. It’s simple in design and it uses small red brick and sandstone which gives it a strange orangey color. It’s a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi.

Srah Shrang is the Royal Bathing Pool opposite Prasat Kraven Temple. It’s a rather large (2300 x 1000 ft) bathing pool and even Rick could fit into this one with room left over.

Banteay Kdei Temple has not been restored and is in lovely state of ruin. It’s is laid out with an extremely long central hallway with side hallways branching out in cruciform pattern. The entire left side of temple is inaccessible and a lot of the right side is in a “take your life into your own hands if I climb on these tumbled stones” sort of semi-collapse.

Pre Rup Temple was thought to have been for funerary purposes. This temple is another tall steep one with a heart pounding breathless climb in the hot sun. The view of the jungle from the top is incredible and you can see for many miles. In fact, you can see the towers of Angkor Wat in the distance (6 miles away).

East Mebon Temple was originally built in the middle of a water reservoir (called a baray) back in the day. The baray is mostly dry now and you can access the temple without a boat. It has some wonderful stone elephant and lion statues around it.

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Photos

Prasat Kraven Temple
Rear

Prasat Kraven Temple
Front. Note the orangish red hue from the bricks instead of gray stone like other temples.

Prasat Kraven Temple
Lakshmi (consort to Hindu god Vishnu) carving inside one of the towers

Srah Shrang Royal Bathing Pool
Now, that's a pool! Nice landing of stone carvings.

Banteay Kdei Entrance Gate
Faces of King Jayavarman VII (aka King Jay)

Banteay Kdei Center Corridor
Look how far it goes...forever!

Banteay Kdei ravages of time
Told ya you can't explore left side of temple...wonder why.

Pre Rup Temple
and more steep stairs...

Pre Rup Temple
View from top is East Mebon Temple

Pre RupTemple
Another view from top of temple over jungle and the back on one of the stone lion statues (on the left)

East Mebon Temple Elephant Statue
About the size of a 1 yr old baby elephant and note it's still intact