Phnom Penh, Feb 3 (IANS): Cambodia has completed the restoration of a more than 1,000-year-old brick temple on the north side of Phnom Krom Temple in the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, the APSARA National Authority (ANA) said on Monday.
Ros Visoth, a Conservation Officer of the ANA's Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, said the Hindu temple, built in the late ninth century, measures approximately six metres in width and over seven metres in height.
The restoration work began in June 2024 and was completed in late December 2024.
"The ruined temple has undergone a complete restoration, returning it to its former glory thanks to the meticulous efforts of experts from the APSARA National Authority," Visoth said.
He said prior to the restoration, the temple was in a deteriorated condition, with its roof and walls suffering from significant decay.
"During the rainy season, water seeped through the brick seams due to age, weather conditions, and plant growth that had damaged the bricks," he said.
"To restore the temple, the team focused on preserving the existing bricks by salvaging those that remained intact, and they cut new bricks to fill in the gaps and carefully reconstructed the walls to align with the original structure," he added.
Visoth believed that following the restoration, the temple would become a captivating site for visitors, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sitting on a hill, Phnom Krom Temple offers a variety of attractions, including stunning views of the freshwater Tonle Sap Lake, picturesque landscapes of golden rice fields, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and nearby villages and pagodas, according to the news release.
Located in northwest Siem Reap province, the 401-square-kilometre Angkor Archaeological Park is home to 91 ancient temples, which had been built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
The ancient site, which is the kingdom's most popular tourist destination, attracted a total of 1.02 million international tourists in 2024, generating a gross revenue of 47.8 million US dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise.