Kazakhstan has secured a major cultural milestone after UNESCO officially inscribed the Mangystau Rock Mosques and Associated Sites on the World Heritage List, recognizing their outstanding universal value and centuries-old spiritual significance.

The newly listed serial property includes five sacred complexes: Shopan Ata, Karaman Ata, Shakpak Ata, Sultan Epe, and Beket Ata, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture and Information.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee said the site represents the development of a unique sacred landscape in the Mangystau region, shaped by centuries of interaction between Sufi spiritual traditions and the culture of the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes.

Each of the five complexes encompasses more than just rock-carved mosques. Together they form complete sacred landscapes featuring historic necropolises, the tombs of revered Sufi teachers, pilgrimage routes, sacred wells, and other religious landmarks that continue to hold deep spiritual importance.

The sites remain active pilgrimage destinations, where centuries-old religious traditions are still practiced and the institution of the shyrakshy-guardians responsible for preserving and caring for sacred places-continues to play a vital role.

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture noted that all five complexes are protected as monuments of national historical and cultural significance.