A raised library in Beng Mealea Angkor Temple, Cambodia cover photo - 114933478

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Beng Mealea or Bung Mealea is a temple in the Angkor Wat period located 40 km east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay. It was built as a Hindu temple, but there are some carvings depicting buddhist motifs. 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. it is 77 km from Siem Reap by road. This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The enclosures are tied with cruciform cloisters, like Angkor Wat. Structures known as libraries lie to the right and left of the avenue that leads in from the east. There is extensive carving of scenes from Hindu mythology, including the Churning of the Sea of Milk and Vishnu being borne by the bird god Garuda. Causeways have long balustrades formed by bodies of the seven-headed Naga serpent. Beng Mealea nonetheless ranks among the Khmer empire's larger temples. In the years Beng Mealea was abandoned, nature took its course and the whole site has been overrun by plants. Trees grow out of stone, vines are wrapped around gateways, and roots have stretched through walls. Combined with the parts of the temple which have collapsed from neglect, it creates a sense of romantic rustic ruins.

ancient angkor avenue balustrades beng bird borne brush buddhist bung cambodia carving carvings churning cloisters collapsed combined courtyards cruciform depicting empire enclosures extensive garuda gateways god headed heaps heritage highway hindu khan khmer kompong libraries library lying material mealea milk motifs mythology naga neglect overrun period preah raised reap romantic roots royal ruins rustic sandstone scenes sea serpent seven siem site stone stones stretched structures svay temple temples thick tied towers trees unesco unrestored vines vishnu walls wat world