Culture

• CraftEbru (Turkish marbling)The art of sprinkling paint onto thickened water to make patterns and transferring them to paper. UNESCO heritage since 2014.Read more →Türkiye
• CraftHüsn-i hat (Ottoman calligraphy)The art of beautiful writing in Arabic script with a reed pen, brought to its peak by Ottoman calligraphers. UNESCO heritage since 2021.Read more →Türkiye
• CraftKelaghayiWomen's silk headscarves block-printed with patterns, a UNESCO-listed craft since 2014.Read more →Azerbaijan
• CraftKaragöz and HacivatTurkish shadow theatre: colourful figures cut from leather are moved behind a white screen. UNESCO heritage since 2009.Read more →Türkiye
• CraftSericulture and silkThe tradition of raising silkworms and weaving silk, with Shaki as its centre, inscribed as multinational UNESCO heritage in 2022.Read more →Azerbaijan
• CraftArt of miniatureThe fine painting that adorned manuscripts, with the Tabriz school among its summits; multinational UNESCO heritage since 2020.Read more →Azerbaijan
• CraftMeddah storytellingFolk theatre in which one storyteller, holding a handkerchief and a stick, tells tales while imitating many voices. UNESCO heritage since 2008.Read more →Türkiye
• Craftİznik tiles and potteryTiles and pottery made in İznik in the 15th–17th centuries, famed for cobalt blue and "coral red".Read more →Türkiye

• CarpetAzerbaijani carpetA weaving art thousands of years old, with the Guba, Shirvan, Baku, Ganja, Gazakh, Karabakh and Tabriz schools. UNESCO heritage since 2010.Read more →Azerbaijan
• CarpetTurkish carpets and kilimsAnatolian carpet weaving, with schools such as Uşak, Hereke, Konya and Milas — even painted by European masters.Read more →Türkiye
• CarpetShyrdak and ala-kiyizKyrgyz carpets of coloured felt, on UNESCO's list of heritage in need of urgent safeguarding since 2012.Read more →Kyrgyzstan
• CarpetTekemet and syrmak: Kazakh felt carpetsPressed (tekemet) and stitched (syrmak) felt carpets of wool, whose favourite motif is the ram's horn.Read more →Kazakhstan
• CarpetTurkmen carpetThe red, gul-patterned hand-knotted carpet — symbol of the Turkmen people, featured on the national flag and UNESCO heritage since 2019.Read more →Turkmenistan

• Traditional dressSaukele and Kazakh national dressThe bride's tall conical headdress, the saukele, and men's chapan coat and fur hat — the clothing art of nomadic life.Read more →Kazakhstan
• Traditional dressAk-kalpakThe white felt hat of Kyrgyz men and a national symbol; its craftsmanship has been UNESCO heritage since 2019, and 5 March is Ak-kalpak Day.Read more →Kyrgyzstan
• Traditional dressDoppiAn embroidered square or round skullcap, the national headwear of the Uzbeks.Read more →Uzbekistan
• Traditional dressTelpekA tall shaggy sheepskin hat — the national headwear of Turkmen men.Read more →Turkmenistan
• Traditional dressElechekThe white wrapped headdress of married Kyrgyz women, UNESCO heritage since 2023.Read more →Kyrgyzstan

More of the culture

• Music →Music of the Turkic world: famous works, national instruments, genres from mugham to küy, composers and performers.
• Dances →From Yalli to Kara Zhorga: the national dances of the Turkic peoples, their meaning and history.
• Cuisine →From plov to beshbarmak: the dishes, drinks and sweets of Turkic cuisine.
• Language and literature →Turkic languages, epics, books, writers and poets: from the Orkhon inscriptions to today.
• Religion →From Tengrism to Islam: the beliefs, holy places and religious figures of the Turkic peoples.

Did you know?

• The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum's building is shaped like a rolled carpet.

  Azerbaijani carpet →

• Culture · November 1, 2026Kyrgyz biopic about Chingiz Aitmatov to open the Korkut Ata Film Festival in Istanbul
• Culture · October 31, 2026Turkistan to be Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2027, with a Yassawi forum and a gathering of Turkic museum specialists planned
• Culture · October 31, 2026Kazakhstan awards the Order of Dostyk to six artists from Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
• Culture · October 31, 2026Exhibition on Tatarstan's UNESCO heritage opens in Moscow: Bolgar, the Kazan Kremlin, Sviyazhsk and the Kazan University observatories
• Culture · October 31, 2026“Manas Aytuu” held on Bishkek's Ala-Too Square with manaschis, akyns and soldiers
• Culture · October 30, 2026Two Crimean documentaries to compete at the 6th Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival