UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan has 3 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List (2 cultural and 1 natural), the first inscribed in 2009 (Sulaiman-Too). The map below plots every one of them alongside the rest of the List, and each site is written up in full further down the page.
- World Heritage Sites
- 3
- Cultural
- 2
- Natural and Mixed
- 1
- First Inscribed
- 2009
Map of World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan
CulturalNaturalMixedIn DangerLarge dots are in Kyrgyzstan. Click a dot to read about the site.
Sulaiman-Too
Kyrgyzstan · 40.5294° N, 72.7833° E · 1 km² · 1 km from Osh
The Sulayman Mountain (Kyrgyz: Сулайман-Тоо, romanized: Sulaiman-Too, lit. 'Sulayman Rock') is the only World Heritage Site located entirely in the country of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the city of Osh and was once a major place of pre-Muslim pilgrimage.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Sulayman Mountain (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Why Sulaiman-Too Is Listed
- (iii)
- A unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.
- (vi)
- A direct association with events, ideas or beliefs of universal significance.
More about Sulaiman-Too
UNESCO's Description
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain Kyrgyzstan dominates the Fergana Valley and forms the backdrop to the city of Osh, at the crossroads of important routes on the Central Asian Silk Roads. For more than one and a half millennia, Sulaiman was a beacon for travellers revered as a sacred mountain. Its five peaks and slopes contain numerous ancient places of worship and caves with petroglyphs as well as two largely reconstructed 16th century mosques. One hundred and one sites with petroglyphs representing humans and animals as well as geometrical forms have been indexed in the property so far. The site numbers 17 places of worship, which are still in use, and many that are not. Dispersed around the mountain peaks they are connected by footpaths. The cult sites are believed to provide cures for barrenness, headaches, and back pain and give the blessing of longevity. Veneration for the mountain blends pre-Islamic and Islamic beliefs. The site is believed to represent the most complete example of a sacred mountain anywhere in Central Asia, worshipped over several millennia.
From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
History
This mountain is thought by some researchers and historians to be the famous landmark of antiquity known as the "Stone Tower", which Claudius Ptolemy wrote about in his treatise Geography. The Stone Tower marked the midpoint on the ancient Silk Road, the overland trade route taken by caravans between Europe and Asia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Sulayman Mountain (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Western Tian Shan
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan · 42.5000° N, 74.5833° E · 5,031 km² · 42 km from Bishkek
The transnational property is located in the Tien-Shan mountain system, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. Western Tien-Shan ranges in altitude from 700 to 4,503 m. It features diverse landscapes, which are home to exceptionally rich biodiversity. It is of global importance as a centre of origin for a number of cultivated fruit crops and is home to a great diversity of forest types and unique plant community associations.
Description from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
Why Western Tian Shan Is Listed
- (x)
- The most important natural habitats for conserving biodiversity.
Shared With Neighbouring Countries
These sites cross the border. Each is written up on the page of the country UNESCO lists first.
World Heritage in Kyrgyzstan: Quick Answers
- How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Kyrgyzstan?
- Kyrgyzstan has 3 World Heritage Sites: 2 cultural and 1 natural. 1 of them is shared with a neighbouring country.
- What was the first World Heritage Site in Kyrgyzstan?
- Sulaiman-Too, inscribed in 2009. The most recent is Western Tian Shan, inscribed in 2016.
- What are the natural World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan?
- Western Tian Shan.
- Are any World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan in danger?
- None of the World Heritage Sites in Kyrgyzstan is on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.