UNESCO Nomination

UNESCO Nomination

Wat Phou Complex is located in the Lao Province of Champassak, on the right bank of Mekong River, at about 100 km. North from the Khone Falls marking the South boundary with Cambodia. The temple, an important example of pre-angkorian settlement and architecture, is spread at the foot of the Holy Mountain Lingaparvata, where other religious monuments in Classical Khmer style were also built (XIth-XIIth centuries).

Many remains can be found in the nearbys, such as channels, raised roads, water tanks (baray), etc... Moreover, the stone quarries that served for building those monuments. Archaeologists discovered that Wat Phou was connected to Angkor with an imperial road 250 kilometres long, the start of which as well as some sections are still visible.

Wat Phou Temple from above.

Wat Phou Temple front view.

Five kilometres eastward, along the Mekong banks, is the so called Old City (Vth-VIIth centuries). Wat Phou region was integral part of the Khmer Empire that ruled Angkor in a centralized form, between IXth and XIVth centuries. But the origins of the Empire are to be searched at Champassak – Wat Phou, most likely the capitol town of the first Khmer Reign, called Chenla. Researches performed by the Italian archaeological mission under the direction of Dr. Partizia Zolese have discovered and identified, among other, a further town, Sestrapura, on foot of Wat Phou.

The research carried out by the Italian Archaeological Mission from 1993 to 2012 under the aegis of UNESCO and other supporters contributed significantly to the appointment of Wat Phou as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 according to Criteria III IV and VI, with a protected area of 400 sq km, the second largest UNESCO World Heritage Site after Angkor.

Cerimonial Road restoration works.

Cerimonial Road before restorations.

Conservation of Nandin Hall Temple

From 2007 to 2012, the Lerici Foundation with the contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Global Heritage Fund (GHF) USA and its own funds carried out the conservative restoration of the Nandin Hall Temple.

General view of Nandin Hall.

The Nandin Hall, which have long rectangular plan oriented north-south, is located on the first terrace, to the south side of central axial walkway and west side of south quadrangle, and has been dated around the middle of 10th to the beginning of 11th AD.

Geometrical survey.

Work in progress.

The monument is a long rectangular building in the sandstone oriented north-south with some part of the platform in laterite. The main structure stands on the rectangular platform, approximately 7.5m width (east-west) and 25.5 length (north-south).

The main structure is composed of a central room with approximately 2.7 width (east-west) and 4.7 length (north-south), north and south front rooms with approximately 2.7m width and 3.7m length, and two open porches which are at both ends.

Before interventions.

After interventions