About Us
ABOUT THE "SILK ROAD" INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
"Silk Road" International Research Institute was founded in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated October 30, 2021 No. PD-5270 "On measures of further improvement of the continuous training system of qualified personnel in the field of tourism, cultural heritage and museology." The work of the institute (hereinafter referred to as the Silk Road IRI) was launched in March 2024.
The Institute functions as a leading international research center in Uzbekistan, specializing in the study and popularization of the history of civilizations and the material cultural heritage of the Silk Road countries. The main directions of its’ activity are theoretical and practical research activities in such areas as: architecture and urban planning of historical cities; restoration and preservation of objects of immovable tangible cultural heritage; traditional experience and modern aspects of restoration, conservation and museumification of architectural and archaeological monuments; modern methods of preservation and popularization of the tangible cultural heritage of the Silk Road countries.
Goals of the "Silk Road" International Research Institute:
— Fundamental and applied research of the architectural heritage of historical cities of the Silk Road;
— Study of traditional methods of restoration, aspects of conservation and rational utilization of the architectural monuments of the Silk Road countries;
— Study of archaeological objects of the Silk Road, methods of their conservation and museumification;
— Study of cultural heritage sites of the Silk Road countries as the foundation for the development of historical, cultural and pilgrimage tourism;
— Development of innovative methods in the study and preservation of cultural heritage sites of the Silk Road countries.
— Composition of an expanded, supplemented and updated “Code of architectural monuments of Uzbekistan” in separate volumes by administrative regions.
The immediate tasks of the "Silk Road" International Research Institute
are research in the following areas:
— Evolution of the architecture of Sufi monasteries in Central Asia;
— History and methods of restoration of architectural monuments of Central Asia;
— The use of GIS (geographic information systems) in identifying the planning structure of the charbagh gardens of the Temurid era and proposals for the architectural revival of the most famous of such gardens;
— The architectural heritage of the Shakhrisabz oasis, its local features, problems of restoration and proposals for the rehabilitation of the historical center of the city as a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- Innovative technologies in the study and restoration of architectural monuments of Uzbekistan with laser scanning and graphic reconstruction of the selected objects;
— History of architecture and restoration of the medieval memorial and religious complexes of the Samarkand region and the development of pilgrimage tourism on their basis;
— Architectural monuments of the Tashkent region of the 12th - early 20th centuries, identification of their regional characteristics, issues of preservation and proposals for the restoration of the significant objects;
— Traditional methods of folk hereditary masters - usto and ustozoda in the restoration of the architectural monuments and practical proposals for their application in modern restoration work (upon the experience of the city of Bukhara); Preservation of such traditions and collection of data on ancient construction and restoration technologies, building materials, recipes, etc.
— Urban planning and architecture of Kattakurgan from the 17th to early 20th centuries and practical proposals for the restoration of a number of the most significant objects;
—Architectural lighting — night artistic lighting of the architectural monuments;
— Preservation and study of archaeological objects and methods of their museumification;
— Compilation of the first volume of the supplemented and updated “Code of architectural monuments of the Samarkand region.”
- Expanded electronic and paper database (Archival data, field research, photos and video materials, 3D models, plans, drawings, graphic reconstructions of monuments, etc.)
International cooperation
The "Silk Road" International Research Institute, which has been operating for less than six months, has been conducting and is planning to significantly expand the cooperation with international research and educational centers and institutions, with foundations, associations and other organizations specializing in the study, preservation and popularization of tangible cultural heritage. Cooperation has been established with the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan, with the International Foundation for Turkic Culture and Heritage (Baku), a number of memorandums of cooperation with a number of republican and foreign specialized institutions has been prepared and to be signed.
Briefly about the building of the institute.
The institute is located in a building constructed in 1890-1891. (dates are inscribed on the attics above the two main entrances) for the Headquarters of the Samarkand region troops on the territory of the European part of Samarkand, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The one-story L-shaped brick building is located on a corner plot, facing the Universitetsky (formerly Abramovsky) Boulevard with the main facade, the facades are richly ornamented with the relief brick decor. Against the background of masonry with horizontal rustications, the voluminous brick shapes of pilasters, window and door frames stand out expressively. On the main facade there are two identical main entrances, flights of stairs flanked by large sculptures of molded gilded lions. The first entrance leads to the administration complex of the Silk Road International University, the second leads to the second wing, where the Silk Road International Research Institute is located.
