Angkor Thom reaches 80% wall restoration on 17 October
Published on 10/21/2026 at 10:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSConservation status in brief
- APSARA reported 80 percent completion at Tonle Om Gate on 17 October 2026.
- A 23-step internal staircase was reassembled beside the restored wall.
- Jayavarman VII founded the walled city in the late twelfth century.
Angkor Thom and its laterite wall restoration in Siem Reap, Cambodia, reached a new stage on 17 October 2026, when conservation work was reported to be 80 percent complete. The update concerns the southwest section of the ancient enclosure near Tonle Om Gate, one of the main approaches to the walled city.
The site is the large fortified capital within the Angkor Archaeological Park, whose monuments remain part of Cambodia’s UNESCO-listed heritage. The restoration update links a current conservation project with a specific gate and staircase that travellers encounter inside the historic city.
Angkor Thom wall restoration reaches 80 percent
An archaeological team has completed 80 percent of the restoration of the centuries-old laterite wall, according to an Xinhua report on the restoration published on 17 October 2026. The work began in April and is being carried out by the APSARA National Authority’s Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology.
The project focuses on a 15-metre section of the wall near Tonle Om Gate. The main reinforcement of that stretch has been completed, while workers were backfilling the surrounding ground and applying mortar between the stones to strengthen the structure. A 23-step internal staircase has also been reassembled and connected to the wall.
Tonle Om Gate places the work inside a royal capital
Angkor Thom was founded by King Jayavarman VII in the late twelfth century as the capital of the Khmer Empire. APSARA describes the city as the largest city centre of Angkor, covering 900 hectares and surrounded by a wall and a wide moat.
The enclosure extends for about 3 kilometres on each side and stands approximately 8 metres high, according to the restoration report. Its five monumental gates give the conservation work a direct connection with the routes through which visitors move between the Bayon, royal terraces and other remains inside the city.
The location by Tonle Om Gate also explains why the project is more than an isolated repair. The completed wall reinforcement and reassembled staircase preserve part of the defensive enclosure while keeping the work tied to a recognised entrance of the ancient capital. A Khmer Times report on Tonle Om Gate also described the restoration as progressing smoothly.
What the 17 October update means at the gate
The reported milestone does not announce a new closure or a changed entrance. It identifies the active work area beside Tonle Om Gate, including the internal staircase and the ground around the wall, so conditions immediately beside the project may differ from those elsewhere in the city.
The restoration forms part of the continuing care of the Angkor Archaeological Park. Its scale can be read in the structure itself: a broad walled enclosure, a surrounding moat and five monumental gates connect the present conservation work with the urban plan established in the late twelfth century.
Visiting Angkor Thom: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The restoration update was issued on 17 October 2026 and concerns the southwest wall section beside Tonle Om Gate in Angkor Thom.
- The reported work includes a 15-metre wall section and a 23-step internal staircase; no closure or entrance change is announced in the update.
- Angkor Thom is in the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia, and its enclosure has five monumental gates.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Angkor Thom
What changed at Angkor Thom on 17 October 2026?
The restoration report recorded 80 percent completion on the southwest laterite wall near Tonle Om Gate. The project also reassembled a 23-step internal staircase.
Where is Angkor Thom and how do you get there?
Angkor Thom is inside the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap in Cambodia. The ancient city is entered through five monumental gates.
What is Angkor Thom?
It is a walled royal capital founded by King Jayavarman VII in the late twelfth century. APSARA describes the city centre as covering 900 hectares.
