Located near the city of Osh at one of the crossroads of the Central Asian Silk Roads, Suaiman Mountain has long been revered by travellers as a sacred site. 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 Silk Road stretches from Chang'an/Luoyang to the Zhetysu region of Central Asia. It took shape between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD and remained in use until the 16th century. This major trade route lined multiple civilizations and promoted the exchange of goods, religious beliefs, scientific knowledge and technological innovation.
This nomination includes 33 sites, spread out over China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Some of the most well-known included sites are:
See World Heritage in China for more information.
This joint listing consists of 13 parks and nature reserves, divided over Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Located in one of the largest mountain ranges in the world, the Western Tien-Shan ranges in altitude from 700 to 4,503 m. It is known for its plant biodiversity. Especially its wild fruit and walnut forest which are among the largest remaining in the world.
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Last updated: May 6, 2021