Beng Mealea at The Guimet Museum, Paris, France

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Beng Mealea or Bung Mealea stands proudly as a majestic temple in the iconic Angkor Wat style, situated 40 kilometers east of the main cluster of temples at Angkor, Cambodia, along the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay. Originally built as a Hindu temple, its walls showcase an intriguing blend of carvings depicting both Hindu and Buddhist motifs. Its primary structure is made from sandstone, and remarkably, it remains largely unrestored, with lush trees and thick brush thriving amidst its towers and courtyards, while many of its stones lie in massive heaps. For years, accessing this site was a challenging endeavor, but the recent construction of a road to the temple complex of Koh Ker has significantly improved accessibility, drawing more visitors to the site, as it is now just 77 kilometers from Siem Reap by road. This remarkable object is part of "Scan The World", a groundbreaking non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Through this innovative project, we are creating a comprehensive digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe, available for free to the public. Scan the World is an open-source, community-driven effort, and if you have interesting items nearby that you'd like to contribute, simply email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can be a part of this exciting project.