Face Towers of Banteay Chhmar

The story of my discovery of the satellite temples surrounding the huge fortress complex of Banteay Chhmar, in the northwestern corner of Cambodia, can be read here. It took place in January 2005 and four of the eight temples I found nearby have retained their own massive towers with smiling Bayon-style Avalokitesvara faces surveying the surrounding countryside. Whilst some were difficult to access due to the dense vegetation, all were remarkably close to the main site and make a visit to this important Jayavarman VII-period temple at Banteay Chhmar all the more interesting and challenging.

However, I wasn't the only visitor to these temples in 2005. Architect Olivier Cunin, a researcher with the Centre for Khmer Studies in Siem Reap, and photographer Baku Saito spent weeks at the site documenting each of the satellite temples, alongwith the main complex for their book, The Face Towers of Banteay Chmar. To-date, the book (pictured above) has only been published in Japan by Goto Shoin in Tokyo. However I did see a copy at the EFEO library in Siem Reap and the detail is incredible.