Objects of historical and cultural heritage perform the most important functions of integrating the country into the global space of cultural communications, ensuring cultural and humanitarian security in conditions of fierce competition of cultural and historical messages.

Their huge economic potential as tourism facilities is also obvious, thanks to which the recognition rate of our country is growing and it is planned to increase the flow of tourists.

In matters of improving the mechanisms of interaction between state and civil institutions, scientific research, study, revival, recreation of objects of historical and cultural heritage and ensuring their preservation as a means of identifying the present with the past play an important role.

The historical and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan currently has more than 25,000 objects, of which 254 are monuments of national significance, 12214 objects of local significance, 12527 are on the lists of preliminary registration of objects of historical and cultural heritage of regions, cities of republican significance, the capital. Of the total number of historical and cultural monuments, 10 monuments have the status of historical and cultural monuments of the World Heritage, which in proportion to the total number of monuments is 0.08%.

The national cultural brand of the country is formed by outstanding objects of historical and cultural heritage of Kazakhstan – the "Golden Man", the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmet Yasawi, the complex of petroglyphs of Tanbaly, the ancient settlements of Otrar, Bozok, Botai, Turkestan. The country also has literary values. One of the most popular and iconic lyric-epic Kazakh poems "Kyz-Zhibek" is included in the world cultural heritage by UNESCO.

One of the main activities in the field of protection and study of historical and cultural heritage is the integration of unique historical and cultural monuments into the world space. Today, Kazakhstan is represented in the UNESCO World Heritage List by 10 historical and cultural monuments nominated in 3 nominations: the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmet Yasawi, petroglyphs "Tanbaly" and "The Great Silk Road: Chang'an-Tien Shan Corridor": Kayalyk, Karamergen, Talgar, Aktobe, Akyrtas, Kulan, Kostobe, Ornek. To increase the number of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, new nomination dossiers are currently being developed.

In the period 2018 – 2020, 60 videos about the sacred sites of Kazakhstan were released in Kazakh, English and Russian, a virtual map with 3D tours of national sacred sites and an interactive map with regional sacred sites were created, and their digitization was carried out.

Republican museum reserves play a significant role in the field of protection and use of historical and cultural heritage sites. To date, their network consists of 12 units.

As part of the implementation of the Rukhani Zhangyru program, the construction of the visit centers of the museum reserves "Tanbaly", "Otyrar", "Ulytau" and their complete museification have been completed. The construction of the visit centers "Saraishyk", "Ordabasy", "Gauhar-Ana", "Sauran", "Esik" has begun. As part of the project to create an open-air National Archaeological Park "Ancient Settlement of Bozok" in the territory of Astana, the construction of the fortress walls of the settlement and the design of the Bozok visitor center are currently underway.

In total, as a result of the implementation of this program, 49 objects of historical and cultural heritage were covered by scientific and restoration works. Thus, 17 objects of the historical part of the city of Turkestan appeared in a new historical appearance. 10 significant objects of ancient Otyrar have been recreated.

In 2020, the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Protection and Use of objects of historical and Cultural heritage" came into force in a new edition, in pursuance of which a number of normative acts were adopted. In particular, new rules have been introduced for conducting archaeological work, historical and cultural expertise, protection and use of historical and cultural heritage sites, pricing standards for scientific and restoration work on historical and cultural monuments, and rules for nomination to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. At the same time, one of the effective measures was the introduction of the Institute for planning archaeological and scientific restoration work. This rule is aimed at eliminating double financing of work on the monument, as well as "black archeology".

Currently, the administration of the authorized body in the field of protection and use of objects of historical and cultural heritage is conducting archaeological work on 8 scientific projects, including at the historical monument of the Ancient settlement of Bozok, Botai settlement and other regions of the country. By 2030, the share of historical and cultural monuments of national importance, on which scientific restoration work has been carried out, will increase to 40% of the total number of historical and cultural monuments of national importance, including the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmet Yasawi, the archaeological complex Sauran, the settlements of Saraishyk, Botai and others.

Today, as a result of archaeological work on these projects, more than 1,500 artifacts and historical objects (gold, bronze, silver, clay, porcelain, stone, etc.) have been found, of which 438 artifacts and historical objects have been restored and transferred to republican museums.

In order to study the history of Kazakhstan in depth, more than 75 survey works were carried out on new archaeological sites.

In the process of carrying out these works in the period from 2020 to 2022, more than 60 articles were published in the materials of international conferences and scientific journals, including those indexed by the databases of the Russian Science Citation Index, Scopus, scientific publications recommended by the authorized body in the field of education and science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In general, today the country has formed a certain approach to the preservation, protection, use of historical and cultural heritage sites and an effective regulatory framework for regulating and supporting the sphere.

There are more than 25,000 historical and cultural heritage sites in the country, most of which require scientific research and archaeological work.

(From the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated March 28, 2023)

Kazakhstan became a member of UNESCO in 1992. And the first Kazakh site was included in the UNESCO list in 2003. It became the famous mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The World Heritage List also includes unique architectural and natural sites. Today, there are over 50 clubs, more than 30 special schools and 6 UNESCO chairs in Kazakhstan.

Mausoleum of Khoja Akhmet Yassawi (Turkestan city) (2003)

Petroglyphs of the archaeological landscape of Tanbala (2004)

Sary-Arka – steppe and lakes of northern Kazakhstan (2008)

Silk Road: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (2014)

Western Tien Shan (2016)

The Turanian deserts of the Temperate Zone (2023)