Este sitio domina el valle del río Fergana y forma el telón de fondo de la ciudad de Osh, en la encrucijada de importantes rutas de la seda del Asia Central. Durante más quince siglos, la montaña Sulamain-Too fue un verdadero faro los viajeros y un lugar sagrado y venerado como tal. Sus cinco picos y laderas albergan santuarios antiguos y cuevas con petroglifos, así como dos mezquitas del siglo XVI en gran parte reconstruidas. En el sitio se han localizado hasta la fecha 101 lugares con petroglifos que representan seres humanos, animales y formas geométricas. También cuenta con numerosos lugares de culto, en diecisiete de los cuales se siguen practicando todavía ceremonias rituales. Dispersos en torno a los picos de la montaña, están unidos entre sí por una red de senderos y, según las creencias, acudir a ellos puede propiciar la cura de la esterilidad, las migrañas y los dolores de espalda, o un aumento de la longevidad. En la veneración por esta montaña se mezclan las creencias religiosas preislámicas e islámicas. Este sitio se ha inscrito en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial por ser el ejemplo más cabal de montaña sagrada de todo el Asia Central y un testimonio de la tradición plurimilenaria del culto rendido a las montañas.

Valor universal excepcional en inglés

Brief Synthesis Sulaiman-Too Mountain dominates the surrounding landscape of the Fergana Valley and forms the backdrop to the city of Osh. In mediaeval times Osh was one of the largest cities of the fertile Fergana valley at the crossroads of important routes on the Central Asian Silk Roads system, and Sulaiman-Too was a beacon for travellers. For at least a millennium and a half Sulaiman-Too has been revered as a sacred mountain. Its five peaks and slopes contain a large assembly of ancient cult places and caves with petroglyphs, all interconnected with a network of ancient paths, as well as later mosques. The mountain is an exceptional spiritual landscape reflecting both Islamic and pre-Islamic beliefs and particularly the cult of the horse. Sulaiman-Too corresponds closely to iconic images in the Universe of Avesta and Vedic traditions: a single mountain with a peak dominating four others, standing in the virtual centre of a vast river valley, and surrounded by and related to other mountains in the landscape system. Criterion (iii): The rich concentration of material evidence for cult practices preserved on Sulaiman-Too mountain from pre- and post-Islamic times, together with its ‘ideal’ form present the most complete picture of a sacred mountain anywhere in Central Asia. Criterion (vi): Sulaiman-Too presents exceptionally vivid evidence for strong traditions of mountain worship which have spanned several millennia and been absorbed successfully by Islam. It has had a profound effect over a wide part of Central Asia. Integrity and Authenticity The authenticity of the mountain, its cult places, uses and functions are without doubt, even given the numerous interventions over the past 50 years. However, since the sacred associations of the mountain are linked to its dramatic form rising from the surrounding plain, it is highly vulnerable to continuing new development on it and around its base. In order to protect its majesty, spirituality, visual coherence and setting and thus the full authenticity of the property, great vigilance will be needed in enforcing protection of its setting. The integrity of the mountain relies on protection of the cult places and their connecting paths as well as their visual linkages and views to and from the mountain. Management and protection requirements The management of the mountain and its setting is coordinated by a Site Management Council who oversees the implementation of the Management Plan and Action Plan. Its effective protection relies on approval of an agreed zoning arrangement within the Osh Master Plan. To protect the property and its buffer zone against modern developments during the period before the completion and final approval of the Legal Protection Zoning Document and the Osh Urban Master Plan, a map showing the agreed boundaries of the nominated area, of the buffer zone and its sub-zones have been distributed as a reference to the responsible agencies of the Osh oblast, Osh city, Karasu district and Kyzylkyshtak rural area.