Tourists climb up the steep staircase of the temple of Wat Arun on Sept. 25, 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. Temple of Dawn stupa will be closed for three years to undergo repairs and renovation. This is slated to be the most extensive repair and renovation work on the stupa in the last 14 years. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

For hundreds of years the Temple of Dawn stupa has been a glistening tower jutting into the skyline of Bangkok, Thailand, but a combination of air pollution and extreme weather events are forcing officials to close the temple off for three years worth of renovations and repairs, the longest closure in 14 years.

The Temple of Dawn stupa, also known as the Wat Arun, is one of Bangkok's best known landmarks. The temple has existed since the 17th century and its remarkable spires were added during the 19th century, says the Wat Arun website. Regular repairs to the temple have allowed it to remain standing for hundreds of years, but recently the maintenance cycle is getting shorter and shorter.

"The maintenance cycle is usually 25 to 30 years but it's shortening because of increased pollution and more severe changes in the weather," said Tharapong Srisuchat, a senior official at the Thailand Ministry of Culture in an interview with AFP. The maintenance will include removing mold, repairing cracks, and replacing old tiles.

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According to the Nation, the repairs will cost around $4.2 million and will be undertaken by the Department of Fine Arts, who requested that the Tourism Authority of Thailand build a smaller replica of the 81-meter (265 feet) temple for tourists.

For a last glimpse of the Temple of Dawn before it's surrounded by scaffolding and workers, take a look at the slideshow above.

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