KHUDAIAR KHAN PALACE

Construction of the palace of Khudaïar Khan, the last khan of Kokand, took 11 years from 1863 to 1873. No fewer than 16,000 workers and 80 craftsmen from Rishtan, Samarkand and other cities were involved. Five years later, the Russians destroyed most of it. The edifice featured a wide enclosure pierced by twelve gates bearing the names of the cities to which they led.

Access to the palace is via a paved road leading up to a monumental portal flanked by two slender turrets. The building's long façade is entirely decorated with glazed bricks, which owe much to the restorers. The majolica tiles on the left wing were made by craftsmen from Namangan and Andijan, those on the right by craftsmen from Kokand. Originally, the palace had 7 courtyards and 114 rooms - as many suras as there are in the Koran. Only 4 courtyards and 19 rooms remain, most of which have been converted into exhibition halls.

The tour begins in the left wing of the palace, where the khan's former reception hall was located. Guests entered through a small room housing the khan's secretary. A scale model shows the harem (the khan had 43 wives) destroyed when Kokand was taken by the Soviets. The complex opens onto a sumptuous inner courtyard, bordered by a magnificent ^15th-century iwan from a mosque built by Tamerlane at Chakhimardan. It is said that the khan liked to have the heads of his enemies brought to him and piled at the foot of one of the pillars. From this period, only two cannons remain: the first, short and artistically twisted, is a local ^18th-century production; the second, long and slender, comes from China and was taken from the enemy during the 1840 war against the Khanate of Kashgar.

In a corner of the courtyard, another room, used for Khudaïar khan's secret meetings, features 114 different motifs - as many rooms as there were in the original palace.

The other wings of the palace have been converted into a museum. On display are archaeological finds from the valley, interesting photographs of the construction of the Ferghana Canal, and excavations of the 47 tombs in the village of Pap. Other areas are devoted to Timurid weaponry (^15th-century French and Italian rifles and shields donated to the museum for an exhibition in 1924). Two further courtyards lead to the mosque. In the last room, you can discover the personal diary of Khudaïar Khan.