PHNOM PENH, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists on Wednesday started to restore the northeast platform of Angkor Wat's Bakan Tower in Cambodia's Angkor Archaeological Park, said an APSARA National Authority (ANA)'s news release.

A religious ceremony was held at the site to pray for safety and success in the restoration work, the news release said.

Long Kosal, deputy director-general of the ANA, a government agency responsible for managing, protecting and preserving the Angkor Archaeological Park, said at the event that nearly all parts of the Bakan Tower have been restored, with the exception of this northeast corner.

He said the restoration work is expected to be completed by mid-2026.

Kosal said during the restoration process, certain areas of the Bakan Tower were closed to visitors for safety reasons, but access to the entire site remained open, albeit with some restrictions in place.

"To ensure visitor safety during the restoration process, barriers have been erected around the work areas, and signage has been provided to inform tourists about ongoing repairs and any changes to access routes," he said.

The restoration work is carried out by the ANA in partnership with the Korean Heritage Agency, the news release said.

Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is a major temple in the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in the country's northwest Siem Reap province.

The 401-square-kilometer Angkor Archaeological Park is home to 91 ancient temples, which were built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.

The ancient park, 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 U.S. dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise. Enditem

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