Beng Mealea

Located east of Phnom Kulen, 30 km from Angkor, at the Royal Road from Angkor (Bat Chum) to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, Beng Mealea was a large Buddhist monstic city centred by a flat temple.
By the dimensions, by the ground plan and by the style the temple is similar to Angkor Wat with which it is contemporary. But Beng Mealea is built on one level; there is no pyramid. And it is badly destroyed and partially overgrown.
The central tower with mandapa is framed by three galleries; the outer gallery measures 190 m by 170 m.
In the East a cruciform gallery links the first gallery to the second. In the South of the third enclosure are two " palaces " (gallery halls).
The city was surrounded by an enclosure wall and a moat. The moat is crossed by causeways of sandstone. Naga balustrades are protecting the edges, which are supported by columns: an imitation of a wooden bridge. This is the style of the Bayon era.
East of it is a baray; from here, starting with a terrace, an avenue runs to the temple's main entrance.
All gates, the central tower and the mandapa have collapsed.

Beng Mealea from south. Drawing by Delaporte (1880)

Photo Album

04 May 2010

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Visitors enter the temple at the south gate of the outer enclosure. In front of the temple you turn to the East.
On the walls of the southeast corner tower there are merry devata; the reliefs are in a poor condition.
Walk along the east face of the temple, passing the remains of the eastern terrace where the avenue reaches the main entrance.
Go on, having passed the northeast corner, you can enter the outer enclosure of the temple, across the remains of the outer gallery.To your left is the ruin of a big fire shrine.
You enter the second gallery at the northeast corner and walk inside of it to the West (or left); it is a narrow and dark hall.
A system of wooden stairways and bridges starts at the south gate of the second gallery.
From there you have a view to what has been the central tower: a huge heap of rubble. When you climb up, you can look into the cleared out cella but it is not worthwhile.
At the northern fire shrine there is a lintel on the ground, showing the churning of the sea.
You can look around from a wooden balcony. Among other objects you can see the southern inner fire shrine.
Following the wooden route you pass by the southern outer fire shrine and leave the temple across the remains of the east wing of the southern gallery.

Opposite of the west face of the southern fire shrine you may find a guide who can show you an other route through the southern and western part of the ruin. Recommended!

Entrance fee $5, Angkor Pass is unnecessary and not valid. Best road via Dam Daek (RN 6), 60 km from Siem Reap.

References:
Briggs, Lawrence Palmer, The Ancient Khmer Empire, 1951, Bangkok 1999.
Freeman, Michael & Jacques, Claude, Ancient Angkor, Bangkok 1999, 2005, p. 200-23.
Roveda, Vittorio, Images of the Gods, Bangkok 2005, p. 390-92.
Plan: Carte archéologique du Cambodge, Groupe de Beng Mealea, 2007.