Being a center of trade, a core of science and a heart of religion Bukhara became a city with rarely unique architecture where buildings display a saturated history of Middle Asia.
Islam affected the architectural style of most of the ancient buildings in Bukhara the most. Magnificent madrasas and mosques became an inherent part of the city’s historical silhouette. This makes examples of European architecture in construction used during the rule of the Rissian Empire on the territory of Uzbekistan and Bukhara prominent among blue domes and motley mosaic.
A great well-known example of eclectic architecture mixing Asian and European styles is the summer residence of Bukharian emir Mokhi Khosa. It is a popular sightseeing and is visited by many tourists nowadays. However, there is another such palace which undeservedly has not gained the attention of government and tourists.
During the industrialization conducted by Russian regional government in Bukhara Emirate Kagan served as a railway town populated by Russian laborers. Kagan was established in 1888 16 kilometers away from Bukhara and meant to be a center of diplomatic relations between emir and emperor. By order of the Emir Ahad Khan, on August 14, 1885 construction of a new palace for the Russian Emperor Nicholas II had begun here. The palace was designed by a famous Russian architect Aleksey Benua, who was also engaged in the construction of government buildings in Tashkent, Samarkand and other cities in Turkestan.
The palace is eclectic, built in the Neo-Moorish style in combination with Baroque and Empire, with many towers, domes, and columns. In addition to the typical European style, Arabic motifs are also used in the design.
Two versions of the purpose of the palace exist. According to the first, the palace was constructed directly for the emir himself. When Emir arrived at the end of the construction and examined it, criticizing the work of masters, describing this place not magnificent enough for Emir Ahad Khan and too luxurious for Muslim Ahad Khan. According to the second version, the construction of the palace was originally planned for the first visit of the Russian Emperor to Bukhara (who never visited Bukhara). During the reign of Emir Alim Khan, the palace served as a “VIP hotel” for ambassadors and delegations.
The evanescence of its imperial appearance began from Soviet Bukhara. A new recreational area surrounded the building. The palace started to be used as Palace of Culture of Railwaymen, consisted of cinema, an extensive library with technical and imaginative literature. Part of the territory was occupied by the pool, which was used in sports events and was destroyed in the 1970s. Public holidays such as the Railway Day on August the 1st is celebrated here for over than 50 years. Its facade was poorly reconstructed including only external works preserving its original appearance.
In the early 90s it sumptuousness completely faded. The government exploited it, once the royal halls now were used as offices and premises for rent. The walls of the palace and interior looked dilapidated. Every new year damaged the building remorseless. Eventually, extensive restoration works aimed at returning the original appearance of the palace in the 2010s gave hope that splendor of its halls will be revived.
Today the palace rescued from the appalling Soviet stucco unleashing its elegant masonry and graceful patterns. The facade is decorated with mosaic stained glass windows reflecting sunlight on the marble steps. Empire towers cover the green roofing contrasting with traditional carved wooden porches.
Its exceptional design could be noticed from external architectural solutions combining the features of Russian royal residences and writings on the Arabic language, but superior mixing of styles is abundantly used in the main hall of the palace.
Unfortunately, most of the rooms of the palace are now inaccessible.
The vestibule is decorated with plaster moldings done in Baroque style framing wall- painting preserved in its original form. A furnace is built in the wall opposite to the entrance is similar to furnaces constructed in each room of the Mokhi Khosa palace. Crystal chandelier on the ceiling emphasizes the abundance of molding on the ceiling and walls and columns supporting them.
The main hall astounds with high ceilings, the sunlight passing through the windows under the ceiling fills the hall with a bright white glow. The main hall continues design used in the vestibule.
Other rooms served for a museum exhibition, which consisted of household utensils, vases, and traditional closes. The museum is now closed due to unpopularity.
The local library walls’ are painted with landscapes of the desert. However, the bookshelves consist of battered books covered with dust.
The palace of Emir Ahad Khan was probably the most European building in the Bukhara Emirate. Now it is probably the most miserable historical building. Despite all its beauty, it is nearly abandoned and an old piano standing in the corner represents the palace condition: some of its keys being wrested and broken, covered with dust and sounding tuneless it is still royal and elegant but needs people’s attention. The recreational park is, in fact, became a home for homeless and stray. Attractions for children are still working but mostly in vain. The park only brisks up in summer during holidays. The most beautiful part of it is trees, perhaps their number in the park surpasses their number in the whole town. The outskirts of the park, entrances, and exits are surrounded by garbage and unpleasant smell.
Furthermore, Emir had another palace constructed in Yalta. Its architectural style has the same features as the palace in Kagan and their appearance is akin. It was constructed in the late XX century. It had the same unfortunate faith: it served as a sanatorium, was damaged by the Nazi army, and now is totally reconstructed and being used as a hotel.
Emir Ahad Khan’s palace is a masterpiece of architecture, a great example of the aftermath of the Russian invasion and introduction of a foreign culture in Bukhara and Uzbekistan. It worthy to enter the list of unique sightseeings of Bukhara and the government should try to make this historical place appear in tourist guidebooks to remain forever in their hearts as an extraordinary masterpiece of architecture.
