Five Underground Mosques in Western Kazakhstan Nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Status
Five unique underground mosques on the Mangystau Peninsula are set to be recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Mangystau Region governor’s press service announced on September 22.
The mosques—Beket-ata, Karaman-ata, Shakpak-ata, Shopan-ata, and Sultan-epe—were first included on UNESCO’s preliminary list in 2021. Since then, the Ministry of Culture and Information has coordinated the preparation of comprehensive scientific and project documentation, which has now been submitted to UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
To support the nomination, protected areas around the mosques have been established, informational stands installed, and detailed photo and video materials prepared for the evaluation process. Recently, a technical evaluation mission from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) met with Mangystau governor Nurdaulet Kilybay to review the nomination materials.
Concluding the meeting, Governor Kilybay emphasized that all future work will strictly follow international standards, ensuring the mosques’ historical and cultural significance is preserved for future generations.
Photo credit:muzey.kz
