Qatar Fund for Development, Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation sign grant to restore Bibi-Khanym Mosque

Tashkent: The Qatar Fund for Development and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation have signed a grant agreement worth $4,175,000 to r...

Tashkent: The Qatar Fund for Development and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation have signed a grant agreement worth $4,175,000 to restore the Bibi-Khanym Mosque Complex in Samarkand, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The project will be carried out by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Chairperson of Qatar Museums HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan HE Saida Mirziyoyeva, and the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Uzbekistan HE Hassan bin Hamza Hashem.

Following the 1897 earthquake in Uzbekistan, the architectural structure of the Bibi-Khanym Mosque suffered severe damage, leading to the collapse of the inner arch of the main iwan and destabilizing the main dome. This project aims to complete previous restoration efforts and rebuild the mosque, while also providing job opportunities to support the economic empowerment of the poorest segments of the Uzbek community.

The project also seeks to revive the mosque by offering necessary training and teaching new skills that will facilitate in-depth research and precise implementation plans to preserve the mosque using traditional building techniques.