Banteay Chhmar

Every stone has a story to tell

Built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th or early 13th century. The complex is oriented to the east, where there’s a dried baray (about 1.6 by 0.8 km), which had a temple on an artificial island (mebon) in its centre. There are three enclosures, as typical. The external one, largely ruined and surrounded by a moat. The middle enclosure contains the main temple, surrounded by a gallery with reliefs which constitutes the third inner enclosure.