Nurullabay Palace, Khiva

Brick reception building of the Nurullabay Palace with blue-and-white tiled columns and an arched entrance, visitors walking in — Photo: Faqscl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Ticket: Separate, at the palace gate: roughly 80,000–120,000 UZS depending on the source; one guide says it is covered by the Itchan Kala pass
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours: Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.: 45 min
With kids: Fine with kids
Closed: Open every day
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Where: Dishan Kala, the outer town — a 5–7-minute walk north of the West Gate (Ota Darvoza)
Payment: Cash in som is safest; the gate may not take cards; ATMs at the West Gate
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour; about 2 hours with a guide
With kids: Fine — the reception palace is single-storey and compact
Coordinates: 41.38206, 60.35616YesGo Map Google Apple

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Key facts

1912Asfandiyar Khan’s reception palace was completed — the last major building of the Khiva Khanate

3 sources

National Bank of Uzbekistan: Nurullabay historical complexEnglish WikipediaWelcome.kz

7 hallsin the reception palace — waiting room, reception hall, throne room, banquet hall and living rooms, each decorated differently

2 sources

English and Russian WikipediaTurkestantravel

Nurullabaythe merchant who sold the khan his garden on condition that it keep his name

3 sources

National Bank of UzbekistanEnglish WikipediaUzbekistan.travel

1896–1904the inner palace and harem were built (Russian Wikipedia gives 1893–1904)

2 sources

National Bank of UzbekistanRussian Wikipedia

4 courtyardsand more than a hundred rooms in the inner palace — living quarters, harem, guards, servants, stables

3 sources

National Bank of UzbekistanEnglish WikipediaTurkestantravel

MennonitesGerman craftsmen from a community near Khiva made the tall doors, windows and parquet

3 sources

Russian WikipediaUzbekistan.travelNational Bank of Uzbekistan

Muhammad Rahim Khan IIplanned the palace for his son, the future Asfandiyar Khan

2 sources

English and Russian WikipediaUzbekistan.travel

1910–1918Asfandiyar Khan’s reign, when the reception palace was finished

3 sources

Russian WikipediaTurkestantravelWelcome.kz

Tiled stovesshipped from Russia in pieces and reassembled in the halls

2 sources

Uzbekistan.travelWelcome.kz

Dishan Kalathe palace stands in Khiva’s outer town, beyond the Itchan Kala wall

3 sources

National Bank of UzbekistanOrexcaTurkestantravel

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Nurullabay Palace tickets and entrance fee

There is no official price list online and the figures differ. Eurasia.Travel quotes 80,000 UZS for a single ticket to the whole complex (December 2025); tour operators give about $8 or 120,000 UZS. You may also see older figures of 30,000–60,000 UZS. All of these are unofficial.

Most sources treat it as a separate ticket bought at the palace gate, because the palace is outside the walls. Aviasales.uz, however, lists it under the Itchan Kala pass. When you buy the pass at the West Gate, simply ask whether Nurullabay is included.

Paying. Bring som in cash: ticket desks in Khiva take cards only when the terminal is working, and Russian-issued cards don’t work in Uzbekistan at all. Bank ATMs and exchange offices are by the West Gate, five minutes away.

Opening hours

Aviasales.uz gives 8:00–18:00 daily, with no closing day. We found no official timetable for the complex, so treat the hours as unofficial.

Mornings are the best time: soft light in the courtyards and few groups. By late afternoon you will want to be back inside the walls for sunset on the Kunya-Ark watchtower.

Is Nurullabay Palace worth visiting?

Yes — once you have seen Tash-Hauli and Kunya-Ark. This is the only palace in Khiva where Central Asia and Europe share the same rooms: carved ganch and Khorezm tiles next to parquet, mirrors, tiled stoves and electric chandeliers. Nothing inside the walls looks like it, and it takes under an hour.

Skip it if you have a single day and haven’t finished Itchan Kala — the old town matters more. It’s also not for you if you only want medieval Khiva: this is the early 20th century. A guide makes a real difference here; without the stories, the stoves and chandeliers are just furniture.

What to see inside

The throne room in Russian Art Nouveau style — tall doors, large mirrors, stained glass and parquet. Guidebooks say Tsar Nicholas II gave the bronze-and-crystal chandeliers and a small power station to light them.
Painted ceilings of flowers and cherubs by invited Russian artists, framed by fine gilded patterns from Khiva’s own masters.
Tiled stoves in every hall, shipped from Russia in pieces and rebuilt on site.
Doors, windows and parquet made by Mennonite craftsmen, a German community that lived near Khiva.
Gilded carved ganch and oil paintings — each of the seven halls is finished differently.
The inner-palace courtyards with two-storey galleries and small exhibitions: crafts, costume, pottery and early 20th-century photographs of Khiva.

A short history

By the late 19th century there was no room left for a new palace inside Itchan Kala, so Muhammad Rahim Khan II bought a garden outside the walls from the merchant Nurullabay. He agreed to sell only if the garden — and whatever was built in it — kept his name.

The inner palace with its harem, four courtyards and more than a hundred rooms came first. Asfandiyar Khan, who ruled from 1910 to 1918, added a separate reception palace for ambassadors and guests, finished in 1912. It was the khanate’s last great building; the khanate itself ended in 1920.

How to get to Nurullabay Palace

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

Kunya-Ark is about 10 min away on foot.
Kalta Minor is about 8 min away on foot.
Itchan Kala is about 10 min away on foot.

More tips

From Urgench airport (UGC) or Urgench railway station, take a taxi to Khiva — about 35 km and 40 minutes. The Urgench–Khiva trolleybus is cheaper but takes about 1.5 hours.
Trains from Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara stop at Khiva station, 1.5 km east of the old town — a few minutes by taxi to the West Gate.
Start at the West Gate (Ota Darvoza), outside the wall by the Itchan Kala ticket office.
Walk north along the outside of the wall for about 500 metres — 5–7 minutes.
The entrance faces the street, behind a high wall with turrets. Buy your ticket at the gate.

Before you go: checklist

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Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Som in cash for the palace ticket
Asked at the West Gate whether my pass covers Nurullabay
Arriving before 17:00
Allowed 45 minutes to an hour
A guide, or at least this page open — the stories make the rooms

Nurullabay vs Tash-Hauli vs Kunya-Ark


Nurullabayyou are here	The last khans’ residence	Dishan Kala, outside the wall	Khorezm meets Russian Art Nouveau	Its own, at the gate	45 min – 1 h
Tash-Hauli	Allakuli Khan’s palace and harem	By the East Gate	Blue-and-white majolica, carved columns	Itchan Kala pass	≈ 1 h
Kunya-Ark	The khans’ old citadel	By the West Gate	Iwans, throne courtyard, watchtower	Pass; watchtower extra	≈ 1 h

Seeing only one palace? Pick Tash-Hauli or Kunya-Ark. Nurullabay works best as the third, for contrast.

Khiva’s palaces compared

Every palace in Khiva rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.


Nurullabay Palaceyou are here	39	45 min	≈ 80,000–120,000 UZS	—
Tash-Hauli Palace	38	1 h	Itchan Kala pass ≈ 250,000 UZS	10 min walk
Kunya-Ark	38	1 h 15 min	≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra	7 min walk
Itchan Kala	34	3 h	≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours	10 min walk
Toprak-Kala	24	1 h	≈ 10,000–20,000 UZS, cash	72.0 km

Three palaces and the old town in half a day

Start at Nurullabay, walk back to the West Gate and cross the old town to Tash-Hauli. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

Nurullabay Palaceyou are here45 min · ≈ 80,000–120,000 UZS
8 min walk from the previous stopKalta Minor20 min · Free, outside view
3 min walk from the previous stopKunya-Ark1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra
4 min walk from the previous stopJuma Mosque30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS
3 min walk from the previous stopTash-Hauli Palace1 h · Itchan Kala pass ≈ 250,000 UZS

5 places · about 4 h 8 min with walks · 18 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Kunya-Ark

Khiva, Uzbekistan

1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra · 7 min walk

Kalta Minor

Khiva, Uzbekistan

20 min · Free, outside view · 8 min walk

Itchan Kala

Khiva, Uzbekistan

3 h · ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours · 10 min walk

Juma Mosque

Khiva, Uzbekistan

30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS · 10 min walk

How to do it right

Go first thing in the morning: it’s five minutes from the West Gate and the groups haven’t arrived.
Save your attention for the reception palace — that’s where the best rooms are.
If you hire a guide for one place in Khiva, make it this one.
Carry small som notes — the card terminal at the gate may be down.
Afterwards, walk back to Kalta Minor, right inside the West Gate.

Questions

How much is the Nurullabay Palace entrance fee?

There is no official price list; sources give 80,000–120,000 UZS. These are unofficial figures — bring cash.

Is Nurullabay Palace included in the Itchan Kala ticket?

Most sources say no: it has its own ticket at the gate. One guide says it is included, so ask at the West Gate ticket office.

What are Nurullabay Palace opening hours?

Roughly 8:00–18:00 daily, with no closing day. There is no official timetable, so treat this as unofficial.

Where is Nurullabay Palace?

In Dishan Kala, Khiva’s outer town, just north of the West Gate (Ota Darvoza) outside the Itchan Kala walls — a 5–7-minute walk.

How long do you need at Nurullabay Palace?

45 minutes to an hour on your own, about 2 hours with a guide.

Is Nurullabay Palace worth it?

Yes, after you’ve seen the old town: it’s the only palace in Khiva mixing Khorezm decoration with Russian Art Nouveau. With only one day, do Itchan Kala first.

When was Nurullabay Palace built?

The inner palace dates from around the turn of the 20th century; Asfandiyar Khan’s reception palace was completed in 1912.

Did Nicholas II give the chandeliers?

Guidebooks say so — the chandeliers and a small power station to run them. We found no scholarly source confirming the gift.

Can you pay by card?

Don’t count on it. Bring som in cash; ATMs and exchange offices are at the West Gate.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

National Bank of Uzbekistan: Nurullabay historical complex — history and building dates
English Wikipedia: Nurullabai Palace; Russian Wikipedia: Дворец Нуруллабая; Wikidata Q20536333
Uzbekistan.travel, the national tourism portal: Nurullabay Palace
Turkestantravel: Nurullabay Palace in Khiva
Orexca: Nurulla-bai Palace, Khiva
Welcome.kz: Nurillaboy Palace, 2026
Eurasia.Travel: Inside Khiva’s Forgotten Royal Residence — ticket price as of December 2025
Aviasales.uz: What to see in Khiva, July 2026 — hours and the Itchan Kala pass
Wander-lush: 2 Days in Khiva, updated 12.10.2026 — payment at Khiva ticket desks
Tour listings on Tripster, Sputnik8 and Putevka — on the entrance ticket

YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·

How we checked

We found no official price list or timetable, so the price and hours are marked “verifying”. Prices differ (80,000 UZS as of December 2025, about $8, 120,000 UZS) and Aviasales.uz counts the palace as part of the Itchan Kala pass, so we show all of it. The “9:00–21:00” that search engines attach to the National Bank of Uzbekistan’s page is the bank’s call-centre schedule, not the palace’s, so we don’t use it. Dates for the inner palace differ (1896–1904 from the bank, 1893–1904 from Russian Wikipedia) — we show both; every source agrees on 1912 for the reception palace. The Nicholas II chandeliers appear only in guidebooks, and we say so. The walk from the West Gate is estimated from Wikidata coordinates: about 450 m in a straight line from Kalta Minor, about 500 m on foot.