Angkor's Bakong Temple Undergoes Restoration of Three Deteriorating Brick Towers

Experts from the Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region (APSARA) have commenced the restoration of brick towers numbered 12, 13, and 14, located in the northeast corner outside the second enclosure wall of Bakong Temple. These towers are in a severely damaged state. Among the three brick towers, numbers 12 and 14 have collapsed from their foundations, exhibiting significant damage. While tower number 13, though still retaining its form from the base to the top, requires urgent repair to its front wall, efforts are underway to preserve these temples, which are over 1000 years old, ensuring their continued structural integrity. Saray Kimhuol, Chief of the Roluos Group for Conservation of Temples and Archaeology at APSARA, stated that the expert team began the restoration project for brick towers 12, 13, and 14 in May 2026 and plans to complete it by the end of 2026. The damage to these three brick towers has been accumulating for decades due to age, natural elements, and a prolonged lack of maintenance. The southern tower (number 12) and the northern tower (number 14) have lost their shapes from the top down to the base. The central brick tower (number 13), although mostly intact from base to summit, has suffered significant brick loss on its front facade, with its doorway structure collapsing and cracks appearing on its three walls. Kimhuol further explained that the restoration and reinforcement work to restore the strength of these three towers involves cleaning the accumulated soil from both the exterior and interior of the towers. Subsequently, the team will proceed with reinforcing the foundations, door frames, and staircase structures of each tower. Weakened structural elements will be strengthened, and plaster mortar will be applied for waterproofing, pest control, and to prevent the growth of grass or vegetation on the temple surfaces. For the central tower, the team is also reassembling and repositioning fallen doorway frames, pediments, and diamond pillars to their original locations. After the completion of the repair work, the team will install additional steel supports on the upper part of brick tower 13 to further enhance its stability. Article by: Khoeun Vet