The Palace of Nurullah - Bai

The Palace of Nurullabai is located in Dishan Kala in Khiva. The Palace was built by Muhammad Rahim Khan II in 1912 for his son, the future Khan Asfendiyar, on the site of a huge garden owned by a rich Khiva merchant Nurullabai. Nurullabai presented his land and garden for the construction of the Palace with the condition that this place was called by his name. And still the Khan's Palace has the name of Nurullabai…

In addition to local residents, Russian and German craftsmen were involved in the construction of the Palace, so the magnificent interiors of the Palace combine elements of European style (wallpaper, fireplaces decorated with tiles, parquet) and traditional oriental wood and stone carvings, ornamental paintings.

The Palace has more than 100 rooms connected by galleries, a court room, Khan's apartments, a small mosque, security rooms, stables, rooms for servants and a harem. The whole complex is enclosed by a high wall with a length of more than 650 meters with traditional Khiva towers.

Especially interesting is the design of the Khan's reception room, which consists of seven rooms: a waiting room, a reception room, a throne room, a banquet hall and three living rooms. The walls and ceilings are entirely covered with carved ganch with gilding and color paintings. The throne room is especially beautiful, decorated in the spirit of Russian art Nouveau, furniture, Venetian mirrors, bronze gilded electric chandeliers with crystal pendants. The chandeliers, as well as a small power plant, were donated by Russian Tsar Nicholas II.

Now the complex has completed restoration work and the Palace shines with its splendor as it did 100 years ago. Here, in the halls of the Palace, there is a huge exposition – household items, photographs and video materials of that time, products of artisans, paintings by Khorezm artists. Guided tours, concerts and festivals are available here.