CAMBODIA – Bayon Temple Tower Floor Closed for Repairs

To maintain and protect the temple as well as take into account the safety of national and international tourists, the Apsara Authority will shut down traffic – visit the 3rd floor of the temple start from January 1st, 2020 until further notice.

The authority announced that it decided to close the floor because the central tower of the temple is eroding and has sustained some damage due to its age and other factors. The rest of Bayon temple is still open to visitors (1st and 2nd floors)

“The International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor has recommended the closure of the third floor of the Bayon temple to allow experts to study the damage and identify at-risk areas which require repairs,” the announcement noted.

It said that to maintain and protect the temple as well as take care of the safety of national and international tourists, Apsara Authority has stopped visits to the floor from Wednesday onwards to allow the team of conservation professionals to carry out the task.

Long Kosal, a spokesman for Apsara Authority said that the closure was temporary to allow for repairs.

“We do not know how long the repairs will take,” he noted. “We will reopen the floor to visitors when they are completed.”

Last year, Apsara Authority banned vehicles from entering the Taprohm temple through its east gate which is also undergoing repairs.

Source: khmertimeskh