Banteay Srei

This is the only temple in Cambodia made by women. It was built in the tenth century, dedicated to the god Shiva. It stands near the Phnom Dei hill, northeast of the rest of the temples of Angkor Wat, and was discovered by French archaeologists in 1914. It really is one of the jewels of the Khmer period, constructed in easily carved sandstone and decorated with floral detials, reliefs, and sculptures of Hindu deities. Apparently it was built by a Brahman, a priest from a high caste. It is so delicate that it seems more like a jewelry box than a temple. The cordon of the gateway and its beams are spectacular, changing tones from reddish to pinkish.