Culture & Heritage

The exhibition features Islamic artefacts from the Tsar’s Winter Palace, some dating from the 8th Century.


A jewel encrusted flask and a silver mounted drinking horn covered in pearls are to go on display in a major exhibition on Islamic art in Royal Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh(UK). “Beyond the Palace Walls”, Islamic Art, is on loan from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia.


The State Hermitage Museum occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St Petersburg. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble is played by the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian Tsars that was built to the design of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in 1754-62.


The exhibition features 200 artefacts from the Tsar’s Winter Palace, some dating from the 8th Century. The exhibition began on July 14, 2006 and will run until November 5, 2006 at the Royal Museum in Chambers Street. “Beyond the Palace Walls” showcases examples of decorative arts including textiles, embroideries, glass, metalwork and jewels, and the stories behind them. The star piece of the exhibition is an imperial tent from Ottoman Turkey which visitors will be able to enter and view its magnificent embroideries. The 18th century tent was used by the most senior officers of the Ottoman Empire. Its interiors are richly decorated with jewel-coloured embroidery and gold ribbon lattice windows.

More than 150 exhibitors from Britain, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia and America showcased their products and services at IslamExpo.


IslamExpo, believed to be the biggest Islamic cultural event ever in Europe, opened last month at Alexandra Palace in London, to build bridges with the British community and wash away misconception about the Muslim faith.


“We want to show that mainstream Muslims are peaceful people who want to live in this country as anybody else hand in hand and without any problems,” said Mohammed Kozbar, Project Director of the exhibition, after the launch.


The four-day exhibition brought together a galaxy of dignitaries including Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary General of Muslim Council of Britain, Swiss-based Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan, Wadah Khanfar, General Manager of Al-Jazeera channel and Norman Kember from the Christian Peacemaker Teams, who was previously taken hostage in Iraq.


In addition to lectures and seminars on diverse topics such as art, literature, science, architecture, technology, theology and politics, the event also featured films, dramas, a photography exhibition, concerts, comedy, theatre, live shows and fun educational activities for children. A series of economic activities were also held on the sidelines of the four-day event, which attracted as many as 50,000 people.


More than 150 exhibitors from Britain, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia and America showcased their products and services at IslamExpo.