The Alisher Navoi Cinema Palace, better known to Tashkent residents as “Panoramic,” is one of the capital’s most expressive and iconic buildings. Art historians call it a unique example of Soviet modernism: “Panoramic” is mentioned in numerous articles and textbooks on contemporary architecture.

The building’s architectural solution — a cylinder assembled from vertically arranged concrete rings — not only ensured exceptional structural strength (it withstood the powerful 1966 earthquake) but also created a striking interplay of light and shadow, emphasizing the volume and monumentality of the form. The massive cylinder is effectively balanced by a light, elongated foyer.

The cinema’s history dates back to the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Uzbek SSR on August 7, 1958, which allocated two hectares of land on Navoi Street in Tashkent’s Oktyabrsky District for construction. The work was completed in November 1964.

The main auditorium seats 2,300 people. The 34×14-meter cinema screen was considered one of the largest in Central Asia. The interior finishes used beech slats, particleboard, and perforated panels mounted on a steel frame. Air conditioning systems — a rarity at the time — were installed in the hall and foyer.

On August 3, 1978, by decision of the Tashkent City Executive Committee, the Palace of Arts was included in the list of historical and cultural monuments. In 1991, it was named after the great poet Alisher Navoi, and in 1996, by a decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, the “Palace of Arts” became part of the “Uzbekkino” State Joint-Stock Company.

The large hall was used for premiere film screenings, ceremonial gatherings, KVN games, and other mass events.

The authors of “Panoramic” were a team of young architects: V. V. Berezin, S. M. Sutyagin, Yu. A. Khaldeev, D. M. Shuvaev; engineers D. G. Antman, A. S. Braslavsky, with the participation of architect O. Legostaeva and artists Alexander and Viktor Gan. Later, part of the team was reassigned to other projects, and completing the design and construction fell to Sergo Mikhailovich Sutyagin, who was only 27 years old at the time.

In 2020, the Cinema Palace underwent reconstruction: the foyer featured retro cars and mockups of scenes from old film shoots. An attempt was made to clad the foyer facade with Alucobond, but after an appeal by Boris Chuhovich, head of the cultural heritage observatory Alerte Héritage, the finishing work was halted, and the building’s original appearance was preserved.