Palace of the governor of Khulbuk
TajikistanOff. of Preservation and Restoration of Monum. of History and Culture, Artistic Ex. Min. of Culture
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Description
The citadel is situated in the south-west part of the site of ancient town, now it's named Khisht-Tepa of the kishlak of Kurban Shaid of Vose Region. It has a territory of 600 x 200 meters and 15 m. high. The citadel of the palace was destroyed and re-planned several times during IX-XII centuries. Originally the palace had three part composition planning scheme. Lodgings was situated round the palace, entrances and exits were directed to the yard, a floor of which was paved by burnt brick. Walls of the lodgings were decorated by carved ganch (alabaster decorative material), in which combined geometrical and vegetables motives. It was cleared wall painting, picturing warrior and two musicians playing fiddlestick intruments- rubab and arch harp. After fire the planning of the building was changed, two long corridors formed a cross, lodgings were situated in its squares. Outside walls of the palace had compound construction; as rule there were round towers on the corners and there were right-angled standing pylons in the intervals. The defensive wall was 12 m. high. Central entrance and façade were situated in the center of west wall. An entrance portal is unique architecture construction. Its total height is 13,25 m., width is 8,6 m., width of the entrance is 2,85 m. A frame of the portal is "U" form, it consists of some rows. On the flat a figured brickwork forms liander (an element, reproducing wavy movement) design. The second row is formed of non-standard bricks with carved before firing inscription - two suras from Koran. Archivolt is supported with three-fourth column. A tympanum is decorated by brickwork of geometrical design. A lopatka (a constructive element of ceiling) is built of bricks with Koran inscription. The portal, dismembered by right-angled and round pylons looks monumentally. On the character of the painting Khukbuk continue traditions of the Early Middle Ages. It shows that the past traditions in painting were continued and trasformed. Khulbuk palace is unique thanks to its compound engineering communications, heating system and a system of taking out the rain-water. Khulbuk is an administrative, trade and cultural center of Huttal Region of IX-XII centuries.