Bantei Chkhmar and Prasat Tamoan Temple

The temple complex Bantei Chkhmar in Khmer means “Narrow Citadel”. There is an erroneous name "Bantei Chma", which arose because of the consonance of two words for European hearing ("chma" - in Khmer "cat"). The temple was built during the reign of one of the most important rulers of the Khmer Empire, King Jayavarman VII (reigned from 1181 to 1218).

Due to the remoteness of Bantei Chkhmar from the main temple complexes, you will not find a crowd of tourists here. Often you can be almost the only visitors to the entire archaeological park. Therefore, a special atmosphere is created here, in which you can fully experience the grandeur of the ancient temple, the strength and beauty of the once huge Khmer Empire. The bas-reliefs on the walls of the temple, unique architecture, the interweaving of household, military and religious motifs, allow you to lift the veil of history and see the fascinating and dramatic period of Khmer history, when Hinduism was the state religion in Cambodia. With his tolerance, Jayavarman VII preserved the Hindu sanctuary, incorporating it into the Buddhist space.

With the construction of the Bantei Chkhmar complex, Jayavarman VII solved two important tasks. First, he built a huge fortress on the border of the empire, the second largest after Angkor Thoma. There was an important road leading to the warlike Thai tribes, who from time to time made military raids. The garrison of Bantei Chkhmar was able to repulse an enemy attack, warning the capital, which at that time was in Angkor, of an invasion. There were also retaliatory raids against the Thais. The second task that Jayavarman VII solved was to perpetuate the memory of his son, Crown Prince Srindrakumara and four loyal military leaders who died in the Angkor area in one of the very important battles with the Chams. The war with the Champa Kingdom (central and southern Vietnam) continued for many years. At first, the Khmers suffered losses and lost control of the land. But in a decisive battle, they managed to defeat the enemy, regain the territories conquered by the Chams, as well as annex Champa territory to the Khmer Empire and expand their dominion over most of the Indochina Peninsula. About the events of this time narrates many well-preserved bas-reliefs, which are carved on the walls of the temple.

Jayavarman VII was the first king of the Khmer Empire to introduce Buddhism as the state religion. Many bas-reliefs on the walls of the temple are associated with the Buddhist tradition. However, in places there are very interesting depictions of Hindu epics, so it is believed that Bantei Chkhmar unites both religions. Like most temples in Cambodia, Bantei Chkhmar stands on the site of an older sanctuary. It is assumed that the first stone buildings appeared here in the IX century, when Hinduism was the state religion in Cambodia. Jayavarman VII preserved the Hindu sanctuary, incorporating it into the Buddhist space.

In this temple, in addition to the already familiar faces in the Bayon style, there are exclusive elements that you will not find in any other building of the Khmer Empire. The Kinnarov Hall is well preserved, where celestial musicians, creatures with the body of a beautiful girl and the legs of a bird, are depicted in a pose reminiscent of the Atlanteans. The most recognizable element of Bantei Chkhmar is certainly the magnificent image of the multi-armed Avalokiteshvara.

The main temple is surrounded by small sanctuaries oriented to the cardinal points. Some of them are well preserved and are of great interest for inspection. Some of them are literally consumed by the jungle, which creates a mystical picture and allows you to appreciate their greatness over time.

Bantei Chkhmar is one of the most interesting, but also one of the most destroyed temples of the Khmer Empire. The remoteness from Angkor and, as a result, the lack of quality security made it an easy prey for robbers. The most famous case occurred in 1999. A truck carrying 117 stone blocks was arrested on the road leading to Thailand. As a result of the investigation, it turned out that this is an 11-meter bas-relief from Bantei Chkhmar.

In the early 20th century, the complex was restored and restored by France, then for a long time was abandoned by historians and restorers. Only recently has work begun to restore the temple, promote it as a tourist site and fight for its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Bantei Chkhmar Temple is one of the three largest temple complexes of the Khmer Empire.

Prasat Tamoan

This complex of temples is located on one of the main roads of the Khmer Empire, connecting the central and northern parts of the country. The temple is located on one of the peaks of the Dangrek mountain range, which made it possible to visually control a significant part of the road. There was a complex where travelers stayed for rest and overnight. Therefore, it includes not only temple buildings where it was possible to offer prayer to the gods and perform the ritual of ablution, but also guest houses, reservoirs for storing water, where elephants were watered, and even a hospital. At the time, it was a complete complex.

Hosting travelers, merchants, and soldiers from Phimai (modern Northern Thailand) to the capital of the Khmer Empire, Angkor, and in the opposite direction.

At the moment, the border line between Cambodia and Thailand runs through the territory of the temple complex, so Khmer and Thai border guards constantly serve here. Since only the territory of the temple is a demilitarized zone, just 20 meters away you can see military fortifications, combat posts and weapons depots. On the rocks and trees there are still traces of bullets and shells.

This is because Thailand constantly claims ownership of border Khmer temples, which occasionally leads to brief military clashes. Since 2008, UNESCO has officially recognized all border temples, including Tamoan for Cambodia. The Thai side does not recognize this decision due to the lack of a clear line of demarcation of the border. At the moment, a construction grid is stretched across half of the temple, followed by Thailand and several more sanctuaries of the Tamoan complex.

• Duration of the excursion from 7.30 to 18.00
• Cost of transportation - $150
• Entrance tickets - $7 c person + guide tickets
• Work guide - $180
• Attention! Prices are per group of up to 8 people. For large groups, prices on request.