The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by signatories to the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural heritage consists of natural features (physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation, or natural beauty. Uzbekistan accepted the UNESCO World Heritage Convention on 13 January 1993. , eight sites in Uzbekistan are included: six cultural sites and 2 natural sites. In addition to its inscribed sites, Uzbekistan also lists thirty-seven properties on its tentative list.

World Heritage Sites UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.

+ Site Image Location (region) Year listed DescriptionItchan Kala (Khiva)Xorazm Region1990543; iii, iv, v (cultural)Itchan Kala is the inner town (protected by brick walls some 10 m high) of the old Khiva oasis, which was the last resting-place of caravans before crossing the desert to Iran. Although few very old monuments still remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved example of the Muslim architecture of Central Asia. There are several outstanding structures such as the Djuma Mosque, the mausoleums and the madrasas and the two magnificent palaces built at the beginning of the 19th century by Alla-Kulli-Khan.Historic Centre of BukharaBukhara Region1993602bis; ii, iv, vi Bukhara, which is situated on the Silk Route, is more than 2,000 years old. It is the most complete example of a medieval city in Central Asia, with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Monuments of particular interest include the famous tomb of Ismail Samani, a masterpiece of 10th-century Muslim architecture, and a large number of 17th-century madrasas.Historic Centre of ShakhrisyabzQashqadaryo Region2000885; iii, iv (cultural)The historic centre of Shakhrisyabz contains a collection of exceptional monuments and ancient quarters which bear witness to the city's secular development, and particularly to the period of its apogee, under the rule of Amir Temur and the Temurids, in the 15th-16th century. Samarkand – Crossroads of CulturesSamarqand Region2001603rev; i, ii, iv (cultural)The historic town of Samarkand is a crossroad and melting pot of the world's cultures. Founded in the 7th century B.C. as ancient Afrasiab, Samarkand had its most significant development in the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th centuries. The major monuments include the Registan Mosque and madrasas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir ensemble, as well as Ulugh-Beg's Observatory.Western Tien-ShanTashkent Region20161490; x (natural)The transnational property is located in the Tien-Shan mountain system, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. Western Tien-Shan ranges in altitude from 700 to 4,503 m. It features diverse landscapes, which are home to exceptionally rich biodiversity. It is of global importance as a centre of origin for a number of cultivated fruit crops and is home to a great diversity of forest types and unique plant community associations. Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum CorridorSamarqand Region, Navoiy Region, Bukhara Region20231675; ii, iii, iv (cultural)The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor is a key section of the Silk Roads in Central Asia that connects other corridors from all directions. Located in rugged mountains, fertile river valleys, and uninhabitable desert, the 866-kilometre corridor runs from east to west along the Zarafshan River and further southwest following the ancient caravan roads crossing the Karakum Desert to the Merv Oasis. Channelling much of the east–west exchange along the Silk Roads from the 2nd century BCE to the 16th century CE, a large quantity of goods was traded along the corridor. People travelled, settled, conquered, or were defeated here, making it a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, religions, sciences, and technologies. Cold Winter Deserts of TuranKarakalpakstan20231693; ix, x (natural)This transnational property comprises fourteen component parts found across arid areas of Central Asia's temperate zone between the Caspian Sea and the Turanian high mountains. The area is subject to extreme climatic conditions with very cold winters and hot summers, and boasts an exceptionally diverse flora and fauna that has adapted to the harsh conditions. The property also represents a considerable diversity of desert ecosystems, spanning a distance of more than 1,500 kilometres from East to West. Each of the component parts complements the others in terms of biodiversity, desert types, and ongoing ecological processes. Tashkent Modernist Architecture. Modernity and Tradition in Central AsiaTashkent, Tashkent Region20261766; iv (cultural)

Tentative list In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. , Uzbekistan has listed 37 properties on its tentative list.

+ Site Image Location (region) Year listed UNESCO criteria Description Complex of Sheikh Mukhtar-Vali (mausoleum) – Khorazm Region 1996 i, ii, iii (cultural) The mausoleum was built in the 16th century above the grave of Sheikh Mukhtar-Vali, who died in 1287. The mausoleum complex comprises multiple cupolas, annexes, storage rooms, two mosques, and the burial vault . These features are incorporated into a complex design, with a long east-west footprint. Khanbandi (dam) – Jizzakh Region 1996 i, ii, iii (cultural) Ak Astana-baba (mausoleum) – Surxondaryo Region 1996 i, ii, iii (cultural) Kanka Tashkent Region 2008 ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) Shahruhiya – Tashkent Region 2008 ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) Abdulkhan Bandi Dam – Jizzakh Region 2008 iv (cultural) Arab-Ata Mausoleum Samarkand Region 2008 ii (cultural) Historic Centre of Qoqon Fergana Region 2008 ii (cultural) Ahsiket Namangan Region 2008 i, ii, iii, iv (cultural) Ancient Pap – Namangan Region 2008 i, iii, iv (cultural) Andijon Andijan Region 2008 iii, iv, v (cultural) Siypantosh Rock Paintings – Qashqadaryo Region 2008 ii, iii (cultural) Ancient Termiz Surxondaryo Region 2008 i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, ix (mixed) Zarautsoy Rock Paintings Surxondaryo Region 2008 i, ii, iii (cultural) This nomination comprises Zaraut-kamar grotto, located in the Kuhitang Mountains, and its mesolithic to middle ages rock paintings. The approximately 40 ancient figures are drawn with red-brown and gray-brown mineral paint, and depict animals, humans, and hybrid bird-human figures, many engaged in hunting. Red Arabic text was painted during the late middle ages, some of it partially over the ancient figures. Poykent Bukhara Region 2008 ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural) Varakhsha Bukhara Region 2008 iv, v (cultural) Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum Bukhara Region 2008 ii (cultural) Chor-Bakr Bukhara Region 2008 iv (cultural) Bahoutdin Architectural Complex Bukhara Region 2008 iv (cultural) Rabati Malik Caravanserai Navoiy Region 2008 i, ii, iii, iv, v (cultural) The caravanserai was constructed along the Silk Road by order of Shams al-Mulk Nasr in the 11th century. It is preserved in its surrounding adobe walls and central portal, one of the largest and oldest of its kind in Central Asia. The portal is decorated with adobe designs, terracotta carved into eight-pointed stars, and ganch carvings of vegetables. Mir-Sayid Bakhrom Mausoleum Navoiy Region 2008 iii (cultural) Khazarasp – Khorazm Region 2008 i, ii, iii, iv, v (cultural) Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm Karakalpakstan 2008 i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi (cultural) Minaret in Vobkent Bukhara Region 2008 i, ii, iii (cultural) Silk Road Sites in Uzbekistan Andijan, Bukhara, Fergana, Khorazm, Namangan, Navoiy, Surxondaryo, Tashkent Regions 2010 ii, iii, iv, v, vi (cultural) Tashkent makhallas Tashkent 2021 ii, iii, v (cultural) Silk Roads: Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor Andijan, Fergana, Namangan, Tashkent Regions, Tashkent 2023 ii, iii, v (cultural) Nurota Mountains Navoiy Region 2024 vii, viii (natural) Kuhitang Mountains Surxondaryo Region 2024 vii, viii, x (natural) Boysun Surxondaryo Region 2024 iv, v, vii, x (mixed) Sarmishsay petroglyphs Navoiy Region 2024 vi, ix (cultural) Shokhimardon Mountains – Fergana Region 2024 vii, ix, x (natural) Hisor Mountains Qashqadaryo Region 2024 vii, vii, x (natural) Zomin Mountains Jizzakh Region 2024 vii, ix, x (natural) Karst, Canyons, and Caves of Kugitang Surxondaryo Region 2025 vii, viii, x (natural) This transnational nomination shared with Turkmenistan covers the southwestern part of the Pamir-Alay Range, including mountains, cold winter deserts and semi-deserts. The local caves have exceptional crystal formations, and the area, with its complex karst system, is home to both typical Central Asian species and those endemic to the region. Kugitang also has a high density of fossil formations and dinosaur footprints. From Uzbekistan, the Surkhan State Nature Reserve is nominated. Ancient towns and fortresses of the Aral Sea region Karakalpakstan 2025 ii, iii, iv, v (cultural) Before the Aral Sea dried up, the area around it was one of the largest oases in Central Asia, and contains numerous archaeological sites and fortresses, including Akchakhan-Kala (excavations pictured). Karakalpakstan 2025 iii, iv (cultural) The tower of silence, a Zoroastrian structure to excarnate corpses, was built in the 1st century CE and used between the 1st–4th and 9th–11th centuries. It is a large semicircle constructed from adobe brick and positioned at the top of a hill, with a ramp leading to the top. The top is constructed with mudbricks, with channels to divert rainwater. Its scale is emphasized by its isolated location. The tower has become a defining symbol of Karakalpakstan, being included in its national emblem and significantly contributing to regional tourism.

See also List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Uzbekistan

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