Angkor Thom reaches 80% restoration on 17 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Angkor Thom has reached 80 percent completion in the restoration of its laterite wall at Tonle Om Gate, according to a report published on 17 October 2026. The work is taking place inside the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and concerns the southwestern section of the ancient walled city.
Tonle Om Gate restoration reaches 80 percent
The project began in April 2026 and focuses on a western section near Tonle Om Gate, one of the approaches to the historic city. The 17 October restoration report said that archaeologists had completed 80 percent of the work on the centuries-old laterite wall.
The main wall reinforcement has been completed, while workers are backfilling and compacting soil, applying mortar between the stones and levelling the upper ground. The team is also continuing work around an internal staircase. The project is led by the Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology under the APSARA National Authority.
The restored section is 15 metres long. Its internal staircase contains 23 steps, which have been reassembled and connected to the wall. The conservation work therefore affects both the visible masonry and a feature that links the wall to the gate area. Details of the wall and staircase work describe the construction process as a combination of traditional methods and modern techniques.
Angkor Thom wall links visitors to the gate landscape
The restoration concerns a laterite enclosure that forms part of the setting around Tonle Om Gate. The wall extends for about 3 kilometres on each side and stands approximately 8 metres high, with a moat surrounding the ancient city. Angkor Thom is reached through five monumental gates, making the conservation of one gate-side section relevant to the wider route through the site.
At Tonle Om Gate, visitors can see statues associated with the Hindu story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. The gate also provides access to the wall area, where visitors stop to look at the sculptures and the surrounding landscape. The October progress report links the structural work to the appearance and long-term stability of this visitor-facing part of the archaeological park.
The city was built in the late twelfth century under King Jayavarman VII and served as the grand capital of the Khmer Empire. The current work does not create a new monument; it stabilises surviving fabric and reconnects the staircase to the wall. That distinction matters at a site whose appearance includes both ancient masonry and later conservation work.
Visiting Angkor Thom: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The restoration update was reported on 17 October 2026 at the southwestern wall near Tonle Om Gate in Angkor Thom.
- The work is ongoing: the main wall reinforcement is complete, while soil backfilling, mortar application and ground levelling continue.
- The site lies within the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, and the gate area includes a 15-metre wall section and a 23-step internal staircase.
- The wider enclosure has five monumental gates, a moat and walls extending about 3 kilometres on each side.
- 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 laterite wall near Tonle Om Gate. Work continued on backfilling, mortar application and ground levelling.
Where is Angkor Thom and how do you get there?
Angkor Thom is inside the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Its historic enclosure is entered through five monumental gates.
What is Angkor Thom?
Angkor Thom is a late twelfth-century walled city built under King Jayavarman VII. Its enclosure includes laterite walls, a moat, monumental gates and the gate-side sculptures associated with the Churning of the Ocean of Milk.
