Angkor Wat Causeway’s Second Phase Restoration 90 Percent Complete

From 2016 to 2023, the APSARA National Authority, in collaboration with Sophia University, Japan, is implementing the second phase of a restoration project to restore the causeway in front of Angkor Wat to enhance the value and maintain the original form of this ancient structure to be strong again, the authority’s news release pointed out this afternoon.

Mr. Satoru MIWA, a representative of the Asia Sophia Centre and head of the Angkor Wat Causeway restoration site, said that the second phase of the Angkor Wat Causeway restoration project is nearly 100 metres long, while the first phase of 100 metres long was completed. He said that according to the actual situation, so far about 90 percent of restoration work has been achieved, in which the team may take at least another year to complete these works.

Mr. Satoru MIWA added that during the restoration process, some challenges were encountered, mainly the Covid-19 pandemic for more than two years, rainwater during the rainy season, especially the causeway is surrounded by water, which is difficult to restore.

Mr. Satoru MIWA expressed his pleasure in assisting Cambodia in the Angkor Wat Causeway restoration project and other conservation projects. He observed that the APSARA National Authority has made great efforts in the conservation and sustainable development of the Angkor site, especially the capacity building of human resources, thanks to which the implementation of each project does not have to rely on international experts as before.

Since 1989, Sophia University of Japan has been cooperating with the APSARA National Authority in many activities to preserve the Angkor site such as human resource training in archeology and architecture, excavation at Banteay Kdei Temple, heritage education programmes for people and students living around the Angkor site, initiative to establish the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum, and so on.

 

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press