Merke Turkic Sanctuaries
Encyclopedia
The Turkic Sanctuaries of Merke are located in southern Kazakhstan
, roughly 37 km south of present-day Merke in the Jambyl Province. At 3000 m high, the sanctuaries in this mountainous region of Kirghizki Alatau number more than 170 over nearly 250 km2. The sites are well-preserved at the moment due to their isolation and relative difficulty of access. Each site may include small stelae (one to four), possibly representing the ancestors buried underneath.
World Heritage Tentative List on September 24, 1998 in the Mixed (Cultural & Natural) category.
(see List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan)
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, roughly 37 km south of present-day Merke in the Jambyl Province. At 3000 m high, the sanctuaries in this mountainous region of Kirghizki Alatau number more than 170 over nearly 250 km2. The sites are well-preserved at the moment due to their isolation and relative difficulty of access. Each site may include small stelae (one to four), possibly representing the ancestors buried underneath.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on September 24, 1998 in the Mixed (Cultural & Natural) category.
(see List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan)