On September 17, 2023, during the 2023 World Heritage Committee meeting held in Saudi Arabia, UNESCO announced the inclusion of Cambodia's 'Koh Ker' archaeological site in the World Cultural Heritage.
Previously, UNESCO had designated three sites in Cambodia into the World Heritage List, namely Angkor Zone in 1992 covering an area of 40,000 hectares, the Temple of Preah Vihear in 2008 covering 2,643 hectares, and the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk in 2017 covering 39,000 hectares.
The successful inclusion of the 'Koh Ker' archaeological site is a source of pride for Cambodia.
It is noteworthy that 'Koh Ker' was once the capital of Cambodia's ancient kingdom, located in Srayong commune, Kulen district, Preah Vihear province, approximately 49 kilometers from the provincial capital. The architectural complex of Koh Ker was built by King Jayavarman IV (928-942 AD). The main temple at Koh Ker is 35 meters high and has the appearance of a seven-tiered pyramid. The temple faces west towards Angkor. The ancient people constructed Koh Ker to worship the deity Treypuvanesvara (God of Happiness). Koh Ker, with a history of over 1000 years, has around 96 discovered temples scattered throughout the entire tourism area. Some of these temples have collapsed, while others remain buried underground."