Beng Mealea, or “Temple of Lotus Pond”), is a temple from the Angkor Wat period located 40 km (25 mi) east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay. Beng Mealea was built as a Hindu temple, but some carvings depict Buddhist motifs. Its primary material is sandstone and it is largely unrestored, with trees and thick brush and many of its stones lying in great heaps. The history of the temple is unknown and it can be dated only by its architectural style, identical to Angkor Wat, so scholars assumed it was built during the reign of king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century.
