KAMPONG THOM, Cambodia, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's wife, Bun Rany, led a prayer ceremony at the complex of the Sambor Prei Kuk archaeological site here on Monday.
The elaborate religious ceremony, attended by some 1,000 people, was aimed at praying for a prosperous Cambodia and expressing gratitude to ancestors for building the great site.
There was also arts performance after the prayer ceremony.
Built by Isanavarman I, King of the Chenla Empire, the 7th century Sambor Prei Kuk temple, or "temple in the richness of the forest" in the Khmer language, was listed as a world heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on July 8.
Located in a quiet patch of forest in Kampong Thom province, about 196 km north of capital Phnom Penh, Sambor Prei Kuk is the most important religious center of the pre-Angkorian period.
According to UNESCO, the site has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire, that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries.
Covering an area of 25 square km, the vestiges of the onetime capital include a walled city center and numerous temples with decorated sandstone elements, some of which "are true masterpieces."
Hun Sen said during the celebrations of the ancient site's inscription on July 17 in Phnom Penh that the listing of Sambor Prei Kuk archaeological site as a world heritage site "will greatly contribute to the development of the kingdom's tourism industry."
Sambor Prei Kuk became Cambodia's third tangible cultural property that has been inscribed on the World Heritage List. The first two listed properties are the 12th century Angkor archaeological park inscribed in 1992 and the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple included in 2008.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the Cambodian economy. In 2016, Cambodia attracted 5 million foreign tourists, earning gross revenue of 3.4 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The Southeast Asian nation is projected to receive up to 7 million foreign arrivals in 2020 with estimated revenue of 5 billion U.S. dollars.
