22.11.2022

Following the top-level talks at the Élysée Palace, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and their spouses visited the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The Louvre is one of the largest and most popular museums in the world, with the largest and most valuable art collection. It attracts some 10 million tourists annually.

The exhibition «The splendors of the oases of Uzbekistan. At the Crossroads of Caravan Routes», dedicated to the richest cultural heritage of our people, is organized in accordance with the agreements reached during the visit of the President of Uzbekistan to France in October 2018. The President noted the need for organizing joint exhibitions of museums of Uzbekistan and France, expanding scientific and cultural ties between our countries. The corresponding memorandum has been signed between the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan and the Louvre Museum.

Over the past three years, a detailed preparatory work for the exhibition has been carried out. Several joint Uzbek-French expeditions took place, during which many archaeological discoveries were made. In addition, restorers from the Louvre and specialists from Uzbekistan have carried out a large-scale restoration work in several stages.

The outcome of this work was the creation of an extensive exhibition space in the Louvre's Richelieu Hall and Islamic Department, consisting of five chronological tours: «The Time of the Oasis States and Kingdoms: a Diffusion of Cultures through the Silk Road», «The Middle Ages and the Rise of Art», «The Expansion of Islam, and the Cultural and Scientific Dawn in Central Asia», «From Avicenna to Genghis Khan», and «The Time of Great Empires: the Era of Timurid and Shaybanid».

The exposition, covering more than 1,500 years of the history of Uzbekistan, consists of 138 unique items from 16 museums of our country, including 70 exhibits jointly restored specially for the exhibition. The collection also includes 31 exhibits from major museums in France, Great Britain, and the United States.

The Leaders of Uzbekistan and France, who became the first visitors to the exhibition, accompanied by curators get acquainted with historical artifacts from the settlements of Dalverzintepa and Khalchayan, wall paintings from the red hall of Varakhshi, carved panels from Kafar-kala, pages of the Kattalangar Koran, a double-leaf door from Amir Temur's mausoleum, a painting with the image of ambassadors from Afrasiab, and other exhibits. A detailed information was provided about their creation and discovery, epochs and personalities related to their history.

The Presidents, noting the high level of organization of the exhibition and the special atmosphere created here, expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the preparation of this significant event in the cultural life of the two countries.

It was emphasized that the exhibition at the Louvre serves to further strengthening of the long-standing historical ties, friendship and mutual understanding not only between the peoples of France and Uzbekistan, but also between Europe and Central Asia as a whole.

The exhibition will run until March 6, 2023.