The Alexan Pasha Palace is the most striking building in central Asyut, a late 19th-century mansion built by a wealthy Coptic family and restored by the Ministry of Antiquities. The exterior is grand but slightly dishevelled; the interior is the reason to visit, with ornate plasterwork, frescoed ceilings, and rooms furnished in a mix of European and Ottoman styles.
It opened to the public after a long restoration and remains one of the few non-pharaonic sites in town worth a visit. Allow an hour; English signage is limited.