Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa

Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa — "Palace of Moon-Like Stars" — was the summer retreat of Bukhara's last emir, Alim Khan, and it sits about five kilometres north of the old city in a large walled garden. The complex blends Russian imperial architecture with traditional Uzbek ornament in a way that reflects the peculiar hybrid culture of the late Bukharan emirate: carved wooden columns support Russian-style crystal chandeliers, and the throne room mixes Islamic tilework with European furniture.

The harem building is particularly interesting — a two-storey whitewashed structure with carved wooden balconies that looks more like a guesthouse than a place of confinement. The gardens include a small pool where the emir supposedly held beauty contests, choosing his wives by having candidates walk across stepping stones: those who slipped were rejected. The story may be apocryphal but the palace is real, and the combination of lush gardens, interesting architecture, and a well-curated applied arts museum makes it worth the short taxi ride from the centre.

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A story
The last emir of Bukhara, Alim Khan, had the summer palace built with Russian architects and craftsmen after 1911, incorporating Art Nouveau detailing alongside traditional Central Asian decoration. When Red Army forces captured Bukhara in September 1920, Alim Khan fled to Afghanistan, leaving his palace and its contents behind. The palace became a museum almost immediately, and many of his personal possessions — including robes, furniture, and photographs — are still on display.