Millennium-Old Shiva Temple Restored After Collapse Risk In Angkor Complex

PHNOM PENH-Archaeologists have completed the emergency restoration of the early 10th-century Baksei Chamkrong temple in Cambodia’s famed Angkor Archaeological Park after parts of the structure were found to be at risk of collapse, the APSARA National Authority (ANA) said.

It said the restoration team reinforced the Hindu temple’s most vulnerable sections to ensure the historic monument remains stable and preserved for future generations.

The most critical areas included the roof and inner walls of the upper sanctuary, where the roof had suffered severe deterioration due to decayed bricks and stones that had fallen twice during the rainy season last year.

The emergency stabilization and restoration project at Baksei Chamkrong Temple began in October 2025.

Built from bricks, laterite and sandstone, the more than 1,000-year-old Baksei Chamkrong temple stands on a four-tiered laterite platform with a total height of 29.2 meters. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is said to have housed a golden image of him. King Harshavarman I built it in honor of his father Yasovarman.

The temple is one of the major structures within the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province, which is home to 91 ancient temples built between the ninth and 13th centuries. (IANS)