Banteay Kdei is a temple located southeast of Ta Prohm in Cambodia. It was built during the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII. The temple's design and style are similar to Ta Prohm, but it is smaller and less complicated. No one knows who the temple was dedicated to because no inscription stone has been found.
Design and Structure
Archaeologists believe the temple originally had:
- A central sanctuary.
- A gallery surrounding the sanctuary.
- A passageway leading to another gallery.
- A moat around the temple.
The temple was also surrounded by a larger wall made of laterite stone, measuring 700 by 500 meters. The wall has gates, called gopuras, facing the four main directions. At the corners of these gates are carvings of garudas, mythical bird-like creatures. This design was a favorite of King Jayavarman VII and looks similar to the gates of Ta Prohm.
Archaeological Findings
Research by the University of Sofia shows that Banteay Kdei was built on top of an older temple. Archaeologists found a foundation under the temple that might be linked to Kod Village from the time of King Jayavarman II.
