This undated photo shows part of the restoration site of the Chorm Temple in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. - ANA/Handout via Xinhua
PHNOM PENH: The restoration of the centuries-old Chorm Temple in north-west Cambodia's Angkor Archaeological Park is nearing completion, the APSARA National Authority (ANA) said in a news release on Monday (Sept 15).
Located in the Preah Pithu Temple complex within the former Angkor Thom capital, Chorm Temple has undergone major restoration work since 2019 and is expected to be completed in December 2025, the news release said.
The project has been a collaboration between Cambodian and South Korean specialists, including architects, archaeologists and skilled restoration workers.
ANA architect Thai Yamang said Cambodian experts have actively contributed to various tasks, including preparing layouts before and after restoration, identifying and collecting scattered stones and reassembling them into the structure.
"To date, more than 200 stones have already been restored and reintegrated, with ongoing efforts to recover additional missing pieces," he said.
Eo Jin-kyu, architect and head of the restoration project, said the temple had been in a highly dilapidated state prior to the restoration.
"Experts decided to completely dismantle the temple in order to strengthen its foundation and rebuild it step by step," he said.
Built in the 12th century, the sandstone-made Chorm Temple is one of the temples in the 401 square km Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province.
The Angkor Archaeological Park, which is the most popular tourist destination in the South-East Asian nation, is home to 91 ancient temples built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.
The ancient park attracted almost 670,000 international visitors in the first eight months of 2025, generating a gross revenue of US$31 million from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. - Xinhua
