Nurullabay’s Palace

Khiva is one of the nature reserves of not only Uzbekistan, but also the whole of Central Asia. Mosques, madrassas, minarets and palaces that were built during the Middle Ages are located on the expanses of Ichan Kala, the walls that limit Shahristan (inner city), like exhibits in the open air.

Nurullabay’s Palace is one of the many striking exhibits of ancient Khiva, which was built under the eleventh ruler of Khorezm from the Kungrat dynasty, Muhammad Rahim Khan II. The khan built the palace for his son and heir to the throne Asfandiyar. However, the name of the palace belongs to the merchant Nurullabay, from whom the khan bought land for the construction of the palace. The merchant sold the land to the khan with one condition, according to which the land will forever retain its original name. And so the Nurullabay’s Palace appeared.

Construction lasted from 1893 to 1904. However, in 1912, after the death of his father, Asfandiyar Khan ascended the throne and added additional rooms in the palace for foreign guests. The palace was used as a summer residence of Khiva khans.

The architectural monument differs from most of the buildings of Khiva at that time with its extravagant style and ornament. The decoration of the palace successfully combines European and traditional oriental styles.

The building is built of baked brick, its roof is covered with thin layers of iron, parquet floors. Inside the palace there is one main throne room, nine large and small halls, a room for servants and guards, a madrasah, and a garden and flower garden are laid out around. The halls are decorated in the style of Russian Art Nouveau, since Asfandiyar Khan ordered most of the details at the porcelain factory of St. Petersburg during the construction of the palace. The decoration of the halls includes tiled stoves, mirrors, wooden carved ceilings with geometric and floral patterns. The walls and ceilings are decorated with oil paint patterns, which were made by specially invited artists from Moscow. The ceiling of the seventh hall of the palace is especially richly decorated with precious stones and feathers, and some wall patterns are covered with gold.

The high doors and windows of the architectural monument were made by German carpenters from the Mennonite community.

In 2017, at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a major reconstruction of the Nurullabaya Palace was carried out, during which premises were added to the building.