TASHKENT, December 22. /Dunyo IA/.   “CNN World”, the international news portal, has published an article titled: “Inside Uzbekistan’s new multi-million-dollar cultural center” about Uzbekistan’s unique architectural and cultural heritage, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The article highlights the country’s newest landmark, Center for Islamic Civilization (CISC) in Tashkent, which stands as a monumental tribute to Uzbekistan’s historical contributions to Islamic scholarship and world civilization.

According to CNN World, the three-story center, slated to open to the public in March 2026, is a “monument of epic proportions” reportedly four times taller than the Hollywood sign and approximately seven times larger than the White House. The building combines museum functions with academic research facilities, aiming to present Uzbekistan’s historical influence in an engaging, modern format.

Firdavs Abdukhalikov, director of CISC, told CNN World that the center’s creation involved collaboration with 1,500 specialists from over 40 countries. “The big question was how to present our ancestors’ influence to the world, to younger generations, in an engaging and modern way”, - he said. The museum will feature interactive educational zones incorporating virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, including “living portraits” of historical scholars and thinkers, designed to inspire children to explore fields such as astronomy, medicine, literature and art.

The second floor will serve as a research hub, granting access to more than 200,000 books and resources for international academics. “It’s not just a museum - it’s a cultural and educational platform. Here, we don’t only engage with artifacts, but also with the lives and ideas of influential figures”, - Abdukhalikov added.

The article notes that while Uzbekistan is a secular nation, Islam remains a central aspect of its historical and cultural identity. The region experienced a golden age of science, literature and architecture between the 9th and 12th centuries, with cities like Bukhara and Samarkand serving as major Silk Road hubs. Historian Farhan Ahmad Nizami, founding director of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, told CNN World that Central Asia “was a globalized world before globalization”, - emphasizing that Uzbekistan’s historical contributions are now being rediscovered.

The center’s architecture draws inspiration from the Timurid Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries, incorporating mosaic-covered archways, blue-tiled domes, and intricate ornamentation.

Publication reports that CISC has actively sought to reclaim Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, acquiring over 2,000 artifacts from international auctions, including a 7th-century Quran of Uthman and 114 manuscripts from renowned rulers and calligraphers.

While the project has received praise for its potential to educate and inspire, CNN World points out criticisms regarding its cost, funding sources, and the country’s limited religious freedoms. Nevertheless, Abdukhalikov emphasized the center’s focus on the next generation: “We have to inspire them and tell the story of our great history through innovation and creativity”.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/uzbekistan-center-of-islamic-civilization-spc