Building of the Center for Islamic Civilization. Photo: Center for Islamic Civilization website.
The Center for Islamic Civilization has been included in the list of the world’s most beautiful museums compiled by the selection committee of the prestigious international architectural prize Prix Versailles. This was reported in a letter from the prize’s secretary general, Jérôme Gouadain, according to the press service of the center.
Firdavs Abdukhalikov, director of the center, noted that inclusion in the global list of Prix Versailles for 2026 “strengthens the status of the center as an architectural landmark of the region and a symbol of Uzbekistan’s contemporary cultural revival on the world stage.”
The center is also competing for the title of Grand Prix Versailles, as well as prizes in the Interior and Exterior categories. The formal announcement of the winners is scheduled for the end of 2026.
The global ranking is compiled based on criteria such as innovation, creativity, the reflection of national heritage, and environmental efficiency, the center’s press service said.
Prix Versailles is one of the world’s most authoritative awards, presented annually to outstanding contemporary projects that shape new architectural, cultural, and aesthetic environments.
ℹ️ The Center for Islamic Civilization was built in the capital of Uzbekistan next to the Khast-Imam Complex. The building is designed in the style of medieval architectural monuments, with four portals each 34 meters high and a central dome rising 65 meters. The complex will include a Hall of the Qur’an, a conference hall with 460 seats, and a museum whose exhibitions will cover the entire history of Uzbekistan—from the pre-Islamic period to the present day. The center is intended to become a platform for studying the heritage of past generations and reinterpreting it in cooperation with the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and research and educational institutions around the world.
All materials on the topic are available in the special coverage “Opening of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent.”
