Banteay Srey loosely translates to ‘citadel of the women,’ but this is a modern appellation that probably refers to the delicate beauty of the carvings. This temple was discovered by French archaeologists comparatively late in their research, not until in 1914. Banteay Srey was built at a time when the Khmer Empire was gaining significant power and territory, constructed by a Brahmin counselor under a powerful king, Rajendravarman, and later under Jayavarman V. The temple displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art - the walls densely covered with some of the most beautiful, deep and intricate carvings of any Angkorian temple.