Beng Mealea - 12th Century Khmer Temple - Tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site- Siem Reap Cambodia

Beng Mealea ប្រាសាទបឹងមាលា "Temple of Lotus Pond"), or Boeng Mealea, is a temple from the Angkor Wat period located 40 km (25 mi) east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay.

Beng Mealea was built as a Hindu temple, but some carvings depict Buddhist motifs.[1] Its primary material is sandstone and it is largely unrestored, with trees and thick brush thriving amidst its towers and courtyards and many of its stones lying in great heaps. For years it was difficult to reach, but a road recently built to the temple complex of Koh Ker passes Beng Mealea and more visitors are coming to the site, as it is 77 km from Siem Reap by road.

The history of the temple is unknown and it can be dated only by its architectural style, identical to Angkor Wat, so scholars assumed it was built during the reign of king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. Smaller in size than Angkor Wat, the king's main monument, Beng Mealea nonetheless ranks among the Khmer empire's larger temples: the gallery which forms the outer enclosure of the temple is 181 m by 152 m. It was the center of a town, surrounded by a moat 1025 m by 875 m large and 45 m wide.

The site is relatively unrestored allowing you to experience it in the natural setting. You also get to explore it by an elevated wooden walkway. This gives you a unique view from above. It is away from the main temples in Angkor so you will avoid the crowds. It is well worth a trip here to see.

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