K Thom site gets Unesco listing
THE Sambor Prei Kuk archaeological site, a cluster of ancient brick temples scattered in the forest in Kampong Thom province, was listed as a World Heritage Site of Unesco on Saturday.
Built by Isanavarnam I, king of the Chenla Empire, the seventh-century ruins are an important piece of Cambodian history that predates the Angkorian period.
The temple – perhaps best known for its enigmatic carvings that appear to depict foreign visitors to the royal court – was inscribed on the World Heritage List during the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee held in Krakow, Poland, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts announced in a statement yesterday. “The Unesco’s decision is a great national pride coming from the efforts of our government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen,” the statement reads.
On his Facebook page, Hun Sen yesterday expressed his congratulations over the inscription of Sambor Prei Kuk and thanked the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and other authorities for their contributions to the preservation, conservation and registration of the temples. In a separate Facebook post, Hun Sen also asked all officials and the public to celebrate this “historic event” by banging pots and water jars at public places at 10am today.
According to a news release from Unesco, Sambor Prei CONTINUED