West Mebon Temple, located on an island in the centre of the reservoir to the west of Bayon Temple, is attracting significant interest ahead of its official opening to visitors in November.
Following the completion of extensive restoration work, the APSARA National Authority (ANA) is preparing the site for its official debut.
However, many tourists have already enjoyed boat rides to the temple and captured photographs.
According to the ANA, visitors have praised the temple’s exceptional architecture and the efforts of its restoration team to repair and restore the historic structure to its former glory.
The restoration was carried out through cooperation between the ANA and the French government after the temple had suffered extensive damage, with much of its original statuary lost.
Surrounded by the vast expanse of the Baray’s waters, West Mebon Temple offers distinctive beauty and scenery that changes throughout the day, from early morning until sunset.
The temple was built in the 11th century, during the reign of King Udayadityavarman II, as a place of worship.
In 1936, a remarkable bronze statue of the Hindu god Vishnu was uncovered by archaeologists working at the site.
The statue, the largest example of a Khmer bronze ever discovered, is currently on display at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, the US, after undergoing restoration and being exhibited in France for several months.