Srah Srang
"The royal bathing pool"
Date: (embarkation terrace) late 12th century
King: Jayavarman VII (posthumous name: Maha paramasangata pada)
Clearing: H. Marchal in 1920
Excavation and restoration work by B.P. Groslier between 1963 and 1965
Sras Srang is an ancient manmade lake which is 800m by 400m. built by king Rajendravarman II in mid 10th century. Later, this lake was restoredand enlarged by king Jayavarman VII in late 12th century. Originally, there was a small shrine in the middle, but today it completely collapsed that we could only see its stone foundation in the dry season. Besides storing water for agriculture, Sras Srong was also used daily by students and monks who stayed in Banteay Kdei temple which was a Buddhism Education Center in late 12th century. There is a royal sandstone platform which is decorated with Naga balustrades and two lion statues as guardians to the west side. This platform was used by the royalty and dignitary families to see the ceremony while the public sat on the steps or grandstand surrounding this lake to watch the festival.
Leaving Banteay Kdei by the east gate and crossing the road near the 11 kilometre marker stone one gains, in a few paces, an elegant embarkation terrace, axial on the temple and dominating the area of water known as the Srah Srang. This measures 700 metres by just over 300 and, slightly off axis, was without doubt excavated before the reign of Jayavarman VII. It has a border of laterite steps with an outer margin of sandstone. Its centre is marked by a small island on which some jointed stone blocks perhaps formed the base for a small light-weight pavilion.
Entirely surrounded by large trees and always full of water it provides, in the fading light of day, one of the most delightful settings in the Angkor Park - its majestic calm particularly recalling certain views in Versailles, such as the Pièce d'eau des Suisses or the Grand Canal. The terrace, with a moulded sandstone base on laterite foundations, must have supported some light-weight construction which, to judge by the plan of doubled small courtyards, consisted of a large rectangular room with surrounding galleries. An axial stairway flanked by two lions divides into three branches with an intermediate landing - a pleasing arrangement which has allowed the naga-balustrades to be set out in a particularly decorative manner. The rich ornamentation remains refined in style despite the profusion of its elements. To the fore, an enormous garuda rides a three headed naga while the other heads serve to frame it, - to the rear, again the three headed naga with the thighs of the garuda clearly indicated and its stylised tail ornate with small naga heads. The body of the naga rests on blocks sculpted with monsters standing "as atlantes". This is undoubtedly the triumph of a formula which, although perhaps questionable, is nonetheless characteristic of the Bayon style.
Sras Srang is a good place to see sunrise from this west platform and sunset from the eastern side. When the sun reflects into the water, the tourists feel romantic and mysterious. But the local people imagine a lot about the glorious civilization of their ancestors and they’re also very sad when they remind about the darkest age of Cambodian history during the Khmer rouge regime.
Boat race:
During the reign of King Jayavarman VII who crowned from 1181-1221, the regatta or boat race of water festival was cerebrated here once a year at the end of the rainy season.every year during that time, boats which belonged to monasteries around the kingdom were sent to race here. they raced boat during the day, but at night the people came to float offerings to dedicate to the Khmer navies who had died in the battlefield and to show respects and gratefulness to the spirits of water, soil and sky as well. After the floating ceremony, at midnight people arranged coconuts, bananas, pounded rice soon as offerings to dedicate to the moon, and then Brahmins predicted how much rainwater would come down in next year.
Graveyard:
from 1975-1979, Khmer Rouge soldiers used the northern site of this lake as a graveyard, but the villagers destroyed that memorial pavilion, and built houses instead after the Vietnamese invasion in 1979.
"The royal bathing pool"
Date: (embarkation terrace) late 12th century
King: Jayavarman VII (posthumous name: Maha paramasangata pada)
Clearing: H. Marchal in 1920
Excavation and restoration work by B.P. Groslier between 1963 and 1965
Sras Srang is an ancient manmade lake which is 800m by 400m. built by king Rajendravarman II in mid 10th century. Later, this lake was restoredand enlarged by king Jayavarman VII in late 12th century. Originally, there was a small shrine in the middle, but today it completely collapsed that we could only see its stone foundation in the dry season. Besides storing water for agriculture, Sras Srong was also used daily by students and monks who stayed in Banteay Kdei temple which was a Buddhism Education Center in late 12th century. There is a royal sandstone platform which is decorated with Naga balustrades and two lion statues as guardians to the west side. This platform was used by the royalty and dignitary families to see the ceremony while the public sat on the steps or grandstand surrounding this lake to watch the festival.
Entirely surrounded by large trees and always full of water it provides, in the fading light of day, one of the most delightful settings in the Angkor Park - its majestic calm particularly recalling certain views in Versailles, such as the Pièce d'eau des Suisses or the Grand Canal. The terrace, with a moulded sandstone base on laterite foundations, must have supported some light-weight construction which, to judge by the plan of doubled small courtyards, consisted of a large rectangular room with surrounding galleries. An axial stairway flanked by two lions divides into three branches with an intermediate landing - a pleasing arrangement which has allowed the naga-balustrades to be set out in a particularly decorative manner. The rich ornamentation remains refined in style despite the profusion of its elements. To the fore, an enormous garuda rides a three headed naga while the other heads serve to frame it, - to the rear, again the three headed naga with the thighs of the garuda clearly indicated and its stylised tail ornate with small naga heads. The body of the naga rests on blocks sculpted with monsters standing "as atlantes". This is undoubtedly the triumph of a formula which, although perhaps questionable, is nonetheless characteristic of the Bayon style.
Sras Srang is a good place to see sunrise from this west platform and sunset from the eastern side. When the sun reflects into the water, the tourists feel romantic and mysterious. But the local people imagine a lot about the glorious civilization of their ancestors and they’re also very sad when they remind about the darkest age of Cambodian history during the Khmer rouge regime.
Boat race:
During the reign of King Jayavarman VII who crowned from 1181-1221, the regatta or boat race of water festival was cerebrated here once a year at the end of the rainy season.every year during that time, boats which belonged to monasteries around the kingdom were sent to race here. they raced boat during the day, but at night the people came to float offerings to dedicate to the Khmer navies who had died in the battlefield and to show respects and gratefulness to the spirits of water, soil and sky as well. After the floating ceremony, at midnight people arranged coconuts, bananas, pounded rice soon as offerings to dedicate to the moon, and then Brahmins predicted how much rainwater would come down in next year.
Graveyard:
from 1975-1979, Khmer Rouge soldiers used the northern site of this lake as a graveyard, but the villagers destroyed that memorial pavilion, and built houses instead after the Vietnamese invasion in 1979.
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