Navoi Theatre
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Romanov Palace, Tashkent
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Photo: Dave Proffer, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, outside only
- Hours
- Interior closed for restoration since 2021; the façade can be seen from the street at any time
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 15 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Going inside
- Closed for restoration, no reopening date announced
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Outside
- Free — façade and deer visible through the railings
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Current use
- Foreign Ministry reception house; a branch of the State Museum of Arts is planned
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Metro
- Mustaqillik Maydoni, Chilanzar line — a couple of minutes’ walk
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Where
- City centre, by Mustaqillik (Independence) Square at the west end of Sayilgoh Street
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 10–15 minutes
Key facts
1891the palace was completed for Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich
3 sourcesi
English and Russian WikipediaUzbekistan.travelEurasia.travelSince 2021closed to visitors for restoration, with no reopening date
2 sourcesi
Podrobno.uz, May 2026Kursiv Uzbekistan, October 2026Bronze deerlife-size, flank the entrance steps, with hunting dogs beside them
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Russian WikipediaPodrobno.uzEurasia.travelBenois & Geintselmanthe architects, Alexei Benois and Wilhelm Geintselman
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English and Russian WikipediaEurasia.travelGrandson of Nicholas Ithe owner was the son of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich
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English and Russian Wikipedia1874diamonds vanished from a family icon and the grand duke was banished from St Petersburg
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English and Russian WikipediaJanuary 1918he died in Tashkent and left the palace to the city as a museum
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English and Russian Wikipedia1919his painting collection became the core of the State Museum of Arts
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English and Russian WikipediaPalace of Pioneersoccupied the building in Soviet times, followed by a jewellery museum
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English and Russian WikipediaSince 1993a reception house of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry
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English WikipediaUzbekistan.travelCan you visit the Romanov Palace in Tashkent?
Only from the outside. The building belongs to the Foreign Ministry as a reception house and is under restoration, so the gates stay shut. What you can do is walk along the wrought-iron railings, look at the bronze deer by the steps and photograph the brick façade and dome. That takes 10–15 minutes and costs nothing.
Is it worth it? Yes, if you are already in the centre — it sits on the walk between Amir Timur Square and Independence Square, and the story behind it is the most unusual of any building in Tashkent. Don’t make a special trip: there is nothing more to see than the view from the street.
The exiled grand duke and his palace
The owner was Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich, a grandson of Tsar Nicholas I. In 1874 three diamonds disappeared from an icon in his parents’ Marble Palace in St Petersburg, and the blame fell on him. The family had him declared insane and sent him away from the capital; he ended up in Turkestan, the Russian Empire’s Central Asian frontier.
In Tashkent he reinvented himself as a businessman and an irrigation pioneer, digging canals to bring water to the Hungry Steppe. His palace, designed by Alexei Benois and Wilhelm Geintselman, was finished in 1891, with a round domed hall, a winter garden of palms and citrus trees, a small Japanese garden, a library and a billiard room.
He died in January 1918 and left the palace to the city on condition that it became a museum. In 1919 his European and Russian paintings became the core of Tashkent’s art museum. The building later served as a Palace of Pioneers and a jewellery museum, and since 1993 it has been the Foreign Ministry’s reception house.
What to see from the street
- The bronze deer — life-size, on marble plinths by the entrance steps. The grand duke was a keen hunter, and bronze hunting dogs stand nearby.
- The fired-brick façade in yellow-grey, with lacy ironwork, shaped windows and round towers at the corners.
- The central dome above the old round hall, where doors led to the grand duke’s and his wife’s apartments.
- The wrought-iron railings — you photograph through them; you can’t get closer.
- The front garden with its round fountain and lantern — the view in the photo on this page.
What will the museum be?
After restoration the building is due to open as a branch of the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan, showing the grand duke’s own collection. Reports differ on its size — about 300 objects in some, more than 500, including 120 paintings and 75 sculptures, in another. The project is run by Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation with the Tashkent city authority.
Until it opens, you can see the paintings he collected at the State Museum of Arts. If you want to step inside a pre-revolutionary Tashkent mansion today, go to the Museum of Applied Arts, the former home of the Russian diplomat Alexander Polovtsov.
How to get to the Romanov Palace
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
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
- Navoi Theatre is about 11 min away on foot.
- Tashkent Metro is about 12 min away on foot.
- State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan is about 24 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Amir Timur Square, walking is easiest: head west along pedestrianised Sayilgoh Street (locals still call it Broadway) to Independence Square — 15–20 minutes past plenty of cafés.
- By metro: take the Chilanzar line from Amir Temur Xiyoboni one stop west to Mustaqillik Maydoni — about 2 minutes.
- Paying: buy a QR ticket at the station machine, use an ATTO transport card or tap a contactless bank card at the gate. Foreign cards don’t always go through, so carry a little cash in Uzbek som; card payment is widespread in the centre, but not universal.
- Exit towards Mustaqillik Square: the palace is a couple of minutes away, behind railings next to the Foreign Ministry.
- Carry on on foot to Independence Square or the Navoi Theatre, 10–15 minutes away.
Before you go: checklist
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You are ready for the visit
Romanov Palace vs Museum of Applied Arts vs Navoi Theatre
| Romanov Palaceyou are here | A grand duke’s 1890s mansion | No — under restoration | 10–15 min | Façade, deer, the exile’s story |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Museum of Applied Arts | A Russian diplomat’s house with carved plaster | Yes, it’s a museum | ≈ 1 h | Interiors and crafts |
| Navoi Theatre | 1940s opera and ballet house | With a show ticket | An evening | The auditorium and a night out |
For a historic interior you can actually enter, pick the Museum of Applied Arts. The Romanov Palace is a free photo stop on the way.
Tashkent history sights compared
Every historic sight in Tashkent rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Tashkent Metro | 50 | 1 h | 2,500 som by card, 3,000 cash | 15 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romanov Palaceyou are here | 44 | 15 min | Free | — |
| Navoi Theatre | 44 | 20 min | Shows from 77,000 som | 10 min walk |
| Hazrati Imam Complex | 43 | 45 min | Free | 3.6 km |
| Chorsu Bazaar | 39 | 1 h | Free | 3.3 km |
| State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan | 36 | 1 h 30 min | Closed for reconstruction | 25 min walk |
| Museum of Applied Arts | 36 | 1 h | ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial | 30 min walk |
Central Tashkent in half a day
Ride the decorated metro, pass the grand duke’s palace, see the Navoi Theatre and finish with his paintings at the State Museum of Arts. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Tashkent Metro1 h · 2,500 som by card, 3,000 cash
- 15 min walk from the previous stopRomanov Palaceyou are here15 min · Free, outside only
- 10 min walk from the previous stopNavoi Theatre20 min · Shows from 77,000 som
- 15 min walk from the previous stopState Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan1 h 30 min · Closed for reconstruction
4 places · about 3 h 45 min with walks · 40 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Tashkent Metro
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Museum of Applied Arts
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
How to do it right
- Walk Sayilgoh (Broadway) from Amir Timur Square and the palace comes free at the far end, by Independence Square.
- Morning and late-afternoon light suits the brick façade best; at midday in summer there is little shade by the railings.
- Bring a zoom lens or use your phone’s telephoto — the railings keep you at a distance from the deer.
- Follow up at the State Museum of Arts, whose collection began with the grand duke’s paintings.
- The story comes alive with a guide; most central Tashkent walking tours include a stop here.
Questions
Can you go inside the Romanov Palace in Tashkent?
Not at the moment. It has been closed for restoration since 2021, and no reopening date has been announced. You can only see it from the street.
Is the Romanov Palace worth visiting?
As a 10–15-minute stop on a walk through the centre, yes — the deer, the façade and the story are memorable. It isn’t worth a separate trip.
How much does it cost to see the Romanov Palace?
Nothing. The façade, deer and front garden are visible from the street for free at any time.
Who lived in the Romanov Palace in Tashkent?
Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich, a grandson of Nicholas I, exiled after a diamond scandal in 1874. He lived in Tashkent until his death in January 1918.
When was the Romanov Palace built?
It was completed in 1891 to designs by Alexei Benois and Wilhelm Geintselman.
What is the Romanov Palace used for now?
Officially it is a reception house of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry, and it is under restoration. A branch of the State Museum of Arts is planned.
How do I get to the Romanov Palace?
Walk 15–20 minutes west along Sayilgoh Street from Amir Timur Square, or take the metro one stop to Mustaqillik Maydoni.
Where can I see the grand duke’s art collection?
At the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan — his collection became its core in 1919.
What is near the Romanov Palace?
Independence Square, the Navoi Theatre and pedestrian Sayilgoh Street, which leads to Amir Timur Square.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Romanov Palace; Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich of Russia
- Russian Wikipedia: Palace of Nikolai Konstantinovich; Nikolai Konstantinovich; Wikidata Q3361191
- Podrobno.uz, 19.05.2026 — closure for restoration since 2021 and the timeline
- Kursiv Uzbekistan, 05.10.2026 — restoration progress and the planned museum
- Anhor.uz and WE project, July 2026 — the planned branch of the State Museum of Arts
- Uzbekistan.travel — the national tourism portal
- Eurasia.travel; Lonely Planet — the façade and sculptures
- OpenStreetMap — the building and metro station
- Kun.uz, 2025; Daryo, 2026 — paying for the Tashkent metro
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