Outside of the old town of Bukhara, there is another fascinating place worth visiting-that is the Summer Palace of the last emir of Bukhara. It is located in the outskirts of the city, 4km north of Bukhara. The summer palace is also known with its poetic name- Sitora-i Mokhi Khossa, which is translated as ''A star similar to the Moon'''.
The summer palace was built by Emir Nasrullakhan in the early 19th century. Nothing is left from that original palace-only the name and the location.
Nasrullah, the father of Emir Muzzafar, was known for his cruelty, but he loved his wife very much. When Sitorabony died in childbirth he named the palace after her. The palace of a star similar to the Moon. And the location of the palace is connected with another legend. According to that Emir requested the aksakals of Bukhara ( the wise men) to suggest a location for his summer residence. They told him to kill a lamb, divide it into four parts and hang at the four corners of the city. The piece in the north was still fresh after some days, so they chose the coolest are not too far the city.
The current palace, which is open to the public, was built by the last Emir of Bukhara- Alim Khan. It is a garden palace, as all the buildings are surrounded by gardens and courtyards. From the outside, the buildings are in the Russian style, but the inside is in traditional Bukhara ornaments and design.
Today the Emir's glass-walled chaikhana, the tearoom, houses an exhibition of 19th-20th centuries. It is the collection of Alim Khan. His father was a passionate carpet collector and there were around 4000 carpets. Unfortunately a few remained today.
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