PHNOM PENH, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists are actively engaged in the restoration of the northern library at the iconic Angkor Wat in Cambodia's Angkor Archaeological Park, said a news release issued by the APSARA National Authority (ANA) on Thursday.
The four-month project on the deteriorated northern library on the second level of Angkor Wat started in November 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in February 2026, the news release said.
Mao Sokny, a technical officer at the ANA's Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, said the library's structure had suffered damage in several areas.
He added that the foundation stones had deteriorated, and some blocks had shifted from their original positions, and several roof stones had collapsed.
"The restoration work includes replacing missing foundation stones to ensure structural stability, repositioning fallen roof stones to their original locations, and sealing the foundation with waterproof mortar," Sokny said.
"In addition, the stone conservation team is applying specialized repair techniques to reinforce decayed elements such as pillars, walls, doorframes, and several Apsara bas-reliefs," he added.
According to Sokny, the restoration work is currently about 60 percent completed.
Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is a major monument in the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in 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 955,131 foreign visitors from 197 countries and regions in 2025, generating a gross revenue of nearly 45 million U.S. dollars from ticket sales, according to the state-owned Angkor Enterprise.
The top five source markets for the ancient site were the United States, Britain, France, China, and Japan. ■
