4005) Sulayman Mountain (also known as Sulaiman-Too, Sulayman Rock, or The Throne of Sulayman), Kyrgystan: "Kyrgyz Pochtasy", (or "Kyrgyz Post") has issued a postage stamp on the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the country: Date/ Year of Stamp issue: 25.06.2025:
The Sulayman Mountain (Kyrgyz: Сулайман-Тоо, also known as Sulaiman-Too, Sulayman Rock, or The Throne of Sulayman) is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site located entirely in the country of Kyrgyzstan.
It is located in the city of Osh and was once a major place of pre-Muslim pilgrimage.
The rock rises abruptly from the surrounding plains of the Fergana Valley and is a popular place among locals and visitors, with a splendid view.
Despite its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sulayman Mountain and its associated facilities suffer from significant neglect.
The site, although historically and culturally vital, has areas in dire need of repair, particularly the southern approaches, which require immediate attention.
Visitors who hike up and down the mountain face challenging conditions, as there is no shade, no water sources, no stands selling refreshments, and no toilets or other basic facilities.
The museum, established during the Soviet era, shows clear signs of disrepair and lacks adequate investment to maintain or enhance its offerings. Exhibitions are poorly curated, with random artifacts presented without proper context, explanations, or guidance.
This mountain is thought by some researchers and historians to be the famous landmark of antiquity known as the “Stone Tower”, which Claudius Ptolemy wrote about in his famous treatise Geography.
It marked the midpoint on the ancient Silk Road, the overland trade route taken by caravans between Europe and Asia.
Sulayman Shrine: Sulayman (Solomon) is a prophet in the Qur'an, and the mountain contains a shrine that supposedly marks his grave.
Women who ascend to the shrine on top and crawl though an opening across the holy rock will, according to legend, give birth to healthy children.
The trees and bushes on the mountain are draped with numerous "prayer flags", small pieces of cloth that are tied to them.
According to the UNESCO, the mountain is "the most complete example of a sacred mountain anywhere in Central Asia, worshipped over several millennia".
The rock also contains the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex Sulayman that was built during the Soviet era, showing archaeological findings from the area and its history. The lower slope of the mountain is surrounded by a cemetery.
While the mountain remains a prominent and sacred site in the city of Osh, the current state of its infrastructure and museum detracts from its historical significance.
Adds the UNESCO book in my personal library titled" TREASURES OF THE WORLD":
"Sulayman Too is an exceptional spiritual landscape reflecting both ancient religoius and Islamic beliefs and particularly the Cult of the Horse. Its strong traditions of worship span several millenia and it presents the most complete picture of a sacred mountain in Central Asia.
Its five peaks and slopescontain a large assembly of ancient cult places and caves with petroglyphs, interconnected by a network of ancient paths, together with later mosques.
Sulayman Too matches iconic images from Zoroastrian and Vedic traditions: one mountain peak dominating four others, in the centre of a river valley and surrounded by other mountains.
With its long tradition of religious worship and rich remains together with its "ideal" form, Sulayman-Too has had a profound effect over much of Central asia.
The Sulayman-Too dominates its landscape of the fertile Fergana Valley and the city of Osh.
Medieval Osh stood at an important cross-roads on the Central Asian Silk Routes connecting Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean worlds."
The Postage Stamp on Sulayman-Too:
This stamp is dedicated to Sulayman-Too, the sacred mountain located in the heart of Osh city.
Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has long served as a spiritual, cultural, and pilgrimage center along the Great Silk Road.
Rajan Trikha has commented:
ReplyDelete"Amazing,"
Thank you, Trikha sahab.
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