News

Azerbaijan’s Caliber.az published an article dedicated to the opening of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan. It notes that the complex built in Tashkent, with its scale, modern infrastructure, and unique exhibitions, is regarded as one of the largest cultural and educational centers in the world and is also being recognized as a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records.

According to the press service of the President of Uzbekistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev opened the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent on Tuesday.

The report emphasizes that the Center has become one of the largest complexes in the world in the field of studying and promoting the history, culture, and heritage of Islamic civilization. Its scale serves as a basis for inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Center is built within the Hazrati Imam complex on an area of 10 hectares. The building consists of three floors, with a length of 161 meters and a width of 118 meters. The height of its dome reaches 65 meters, and its total usable area exceeds 42,000 square meters.

The building was designed based on the architectural ideas and proposals of Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It can be accessed from four sides through four main portals. The portals and external arches are decorated with Qur’anic verses and hadiths, expressing the ideas of enlightenment, tolerance, humanism, and respect for parents.

The underground level includes a special platform for children, restoration and digitization laboratories, storage facilities for museum exhibits and rare manuscripts, a modern cafeteria, and museum vestibules.

On the first floor, there is a museum with an exhibition hall of approximately 8,350 square meters, as well as a 550-seat conference hall. The second floor houses the Muslim Board, a library containing manuscript and lithographic sources, printed and electronic literature, reading halls, and facilities for international organizations and scientific institutions.

The Qur’an Hall is regarded as the spiritual heart of the Center, where unique exhibitions are displayed. Under the dome, a special mapping-hologram has been created, depicting the cosmos and the sparkle of stars. This composition is based on the star map visible in the Tashkent sky. A total of 90 Swarovski crystals and more than 650 lighting elements were used as stars.

Here, alongside the Uthman Mushaf (one of the oldest Qur’an copies included in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” register), 114 rare Qur’an manuscripts from various dynasties are presented. These include copies from the Samanid, Karakhanid, Ghaznavid, Timurid, Shaybanid, and other periods.

The Center’s collection contains more than 2,000 ancient sources and over 60 rare Qur’an manuscripts. These were either donated by compatriots or acquired through international auctions.

The Center has also gained international recognition. It has received France’s Avicenna Award and, according to Smithsonian Magazine, has been included among the top 10 most anticipated museums of 2026. BBC Travel has also listed it as one of the most anticipated museums in the world.

The exhibits have been digitized in accordance with international ISO standards and placed on a unified electronic platform. Based on UNESCO and ICOM requirements, a special classification and labeling system has been developed. Through QR codes on each exhibit, visitors can access audio and video information in three languages (and later in eight languages).

The Center has been created as a space for social integration under the concept of a “museum open to all.” In the future, it plans to introduce automatic audio guides for the visually impaired, Bluetooth beacon navigation, and robot guides.

According to preliminary estimates, the Center is expected to receive an average of 5,000 visitors per day. More than 400 staff members will be employed for its full operation.

The Center’s library occupies an area of 3,105 square meters and contains more than 45,000 publications, including 2,609 rare works. It also includes more than 350,000 electronic resources.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also ознакомился with the activities of the international scientific and educational platform established at the Center. Offices of international organizations such as ICESCO, IRCICA, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and TURKSOY are located there.

In addition, hundreds of rare artifacts purchased at Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions, as well as donated by various sources, are displayed in the Center’s exposition.

In his speech, the President stated:

“Today we have witnessed a great event on the path to self-awareness. This complex truthfully reflects who we are as a people, our history, and our great ancestors. Every person who comes here, especially our youth, must understand what great ancestors they are the heirs of.”

He emphasized that this project is not only an architectural structure, but also a sacred place that reflects the aspirations, spiritual strength, and greatness of the people.