It is planned to carry out restoration work in the palaces of Sitorai Mohi Khosa in Bukhara and Khudoyor Khan in Kokand in accordance with international standards.
As reported by the "Dunyo" news agency, Kamol Mukhtorov, the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to UNESCO, met with Céline Noges-Veber, Director General of the International Council for the Protection of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a UNESCO advisory body, on this matter.
During the meeting, ICOMOS representatives were informed about Uzbekistan's plans to implement restoration projects at the Sitorai Mohi Khosa Palace in Bukhara and the Khudoyor Khan Palace in Kokand. The Uzbek side expressed its intention to carry out the work in accordance with international standards and in cooperation with ICOMOS and UNESCO. ICOMOS representatives welcomed this initiative and expressed their readiness to consider proposals for establishing cooperation in the implementation of these projects.
Sitorai Mohi Khosa's status today
According to the Cultural Heritage Agency of Uzbekistan, the last cultural manifesto of the Emirate of Bukhara, the Sitorai Mohi Khosa Palace, built during the reign of Amir Alim Khan, is characterized by moisture, salinity, structural shifts, and the destruction of decorative layers. According to experts, to preserve the palace, urgent scientific conservation and modern restoration work are needed, rather than simple repairs.
Through 3D scanning, laboratory analysis, and scientific monitoring, the original appearance of Sitorai Mohi Khosa can be preserved. Otherwise, we will face the risk of losing not only a palace, but also the material memory of an entire historical period," the agency's post says.
Sitorai Mohi Khosa is a unique example of architectural heritage that combines East and West. Oriental ganch carving, mosaics, and wood carving are combined with European interior styles. In particular, the glass decorations in the "White Hall," Venetian mirrors, and delicate ganch carvings are rare examples of art in Central Asian architecture.