World Heritage Identification Number: 1081
World Heritage since: 2004
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇲🇳 Mongolia
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape: A Journey Through Time and Space
The Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, situated in Central Mongolia, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and historical significance that makes it a must-visit destination for travelers seeking an immersive cultural experience. This expansive region, covering approximately 121,967 hectares, has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2004, owing to its rich archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The 121,967-ha Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape encompasses an extensive area of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon River and includes numerous archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century. The site also includes Kharkhorum, the 13th- and 14th-century capital of Chingis (Genghis) Khan’s vast Empire. Collectively the remains in the site reflect the symbiotic links between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative and religious centres, and the importance of the Orkhon valley in the history of central Asia. The grassland is still grazed by Mongolian nomadic pastoralists.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): The Orkhon valley clearly demonstrates how a strong and persistent nomadic culture, led to the development of extensive trade networks and the creation of large administrative, commercial, military and religious centres. The empires that these urban centres supported undoubtedly influenced societies across Asia and into Europe and in turn absorbed influence from both east and west in a true interchange of human values.
Criterion (iii): Underpinning all the development within the Orkhon valley for the past two millennia has been a strong culture of nomadic pastoralism. This culture is still a revered and indeed central part of Mongolian society and is highly respected as a ‘noble’ way to live in harmony with the landscape.
Criterion (iv): The Orkhon valley is an outstanding example of a valley that illustrates several significant stages in human history. First and foremost it was the centre of the Mongolian Empire; secondly it reflects a particular Mongolian variation of Turkish power; thirdly, the Tuvkhun hermitage monastery was the setting for the development of a Mongolian form of Buddhism; and fourthly, Khar Balgas, reflects the Uighur urban culture in the capital of the Uighur Empire.
Encyclopedia Record: Orkhon Valley
The Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape sprawls along the banks of the Orkhon River in Central Mongolia, some 320 km west from the capital Ulaanbaatar. It was inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List as representing the development of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two millennia.Additional Site Details
Area: 121,967 hectares
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 47.479214 , 102.678482
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© He-ba-mue, CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
