Last Updated on: 24th July 2026, 06:01 pm
Exploring Khujand, a city of about 150,000 in northern Tajikistan, it can be easy to forget which century you’re in. The city’s history goes back thousands of years, and it’s known for being the northernmost extent of Alexander the Great’s empire. You’ll also find numerous mausoleums from the Islamic era, including a modern recreation that looks straight out of Samarkand.
Much of the city, on the other hand, feels remarkably Soviet. Yet Khujand’s main Soviet-era landmark is a palace that took inspiration from both the Russian Empire and traditional Tajik aesthetics.
All of the top things to do in Khujand can be experienced in a single but long day. But those with more time on their hands can also set half a day aside to visit the nearby town of Istaravshan.
For more information on reaching Khujand, where to stay, and getting around, be sure to check the end of the article.
The Khujand Fortress Complex
The best place to start your explorations would be the Khujand Fortress – the heart of Khujand for thousands of years. As we’ll cover shortly, the Sughd Regional Museum is also a part of the fortress complex, but it functions as a separate establishment with its own ticket.
Both the Khujand Fortress Complex and the Sughd Regional Museum cost 30 somoni each at the time of writing.
The Fortress Complex is likely the site of Alexandria Eskhate, a city Alexander the Great founded upon his conquest of the Persian city of Cyropolis (likely modern-day Istaravshan). But more on that shortly.
Upon entry to the area, you’ll encounter a much more modern section of the fortress that was apparently just completed in the past few years.
You’ll find a well-manicured park and various gazebos, not to mention modern coffee shops and restaurants. But the real highlight here is a stunning tilework building that appears to have been transported here from Samarkand.
Yet it’s absent from most guidebooks and travel blogs, and I’m not even sure if it has an official name (it may be called the Timur Malik Mausoleum). But how could something so beautiful seldom get mentioned?
It’s probably because the building is so new, likely having just been finished around 2024. As such, it might only get mentioned in the newest travel literature.
But this begs another question. How could something so new look so authentic?
Throughout the world, many modern reconstructions of traditional buildings often stand out as cheap knockoffs. But having just been to Samakand and Bukhara, I could’ve easily been convinced that this structure dates to the 14th or 15th century.
On that note, a lot of Uzbekistan’s supposed ‘historic’ architecture was largely rebuilt in the 20th century. And much of the iconic tilework that visitors see admire today is quite new.
So there’s no reason why more Central Asian countries can’t just utilize the same techniques to build things from scratch, as we see here.
Apparently, artists from Samarkand were summoned for their expertise on this structure. In addition to its stunning tilework, you’ll also find kundal ornamental patterns and honeycomb muqarnas.
While it looks very much like a traditional mausoleum complex from the outside, the interior layout suggests that this is indeed a modern museum or art exhibit.
It appears largely dedicated to the city of Khujand itself, along with some of the prominent historical figures who were born here.
Every square inch of the interior is teeming with decoration, while a few artifacts and modern paintings are on display as well. It reminded me a lot of some of the rooms I’d previously visited in Dushanbe’s Navruz Palace.
The central hall features statues of notable scholars from Khujand’s past. If you’ve already been to plenty of historical structures in Central Asia, you might be expecting some kind of tomb or prayer hall here, but it’s purely decorative.
In contrast to the colorful patterns elsewhere, another room has been entirely adorned in woodcarving. Again, it’s very reminiscent of one of the halls at Navruz Palace, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the same craftsmen were hired for the project.
The final room, meanwhile, is dedicated to Tajik independence. If you’ve already spent a bit of time in the country, it shouldn’t come as a shock that President Emomali Rahmon – who’s ruled the country since independence – has decided to immortalize himself in the artwork. After all, his likeness can be spotted just about everywhere you look.
In any case, this is yet another gorgeous room overall.
Alexandria Eskhate
Within the same Fortress Complex, don’t miss the chance to explore the ruins of Alexandria Eskhate – the northernmost outpost of Alexander the Great’s empire.
To be fair, the area was occupied for centuries after Alexander’s time, and the oldest extant walls date to the 10th century AD. But the association with Alexander is probably the most interesting facet of these ruins – if not Khujand as a whole – for many visitors.
As mentioned, this region was previously part of the Achaemenid Empire before Alexander’s conquest. In fact, it marked the far northeastern fringes of the empire.
Interestingly, this area was somewhat Greek even before the arrival of Alexander the Great, as Greek citizens of the Achaemenid Empire would sometimes be sent here to the fringes of the empire as punishment.
Upon capturing Cyropolis, Alexander was injured when an angry native threw a stone at his head. But he did manage to survive and found a new city.
Fictionalized accounts of his life, such as the ‘Alexander Romance,’ however, describe how he was warned by celestial beings not to expand his territory any further north.
Whatever the case may be, Alexander never went past the Syr River, which visitors to the citadel complex can admire from above.
And as we’ll cover shortly, the north side of the river is very much part of modern Khujand and can easily be accessed on foot.
In more ‘recent’ times, Khujand’s citadel remained the core of the city when the Mongols arrived in the 13th century. And according to legend, locals put up a valiant defense.
But the last man standing was Timur Malik, the Khujand governor under the Khwarazmian Empire. But he too would ultimately die in battle against the Mongols.
According to some versions of events, local inhabitants immediately started rebuilding some of the walls here upon surrender to the Mongols.
But though the walls largely date to the 10th-13th centuries (plus very recent 1999 reconstructions), there is indeed evidence of Khujand’s very ancient past here.
Surrounding the fort are various ‘archaeological windows’ displaying things like a grain storage room from the 6th-5th century BC, and remains of original walls dating from around the same period.
Elsewhere in the complex, meanwhile, are series of modern mudbrick structures meant to replicate a traditional Tajik village.
The Sughd Regional Museum
As mentioned, the Sughd Regional Museum is physically part of the fortress complex, yet counts as a distinct attraction. You’ll find the entrance just to the south of the main Fortress Complex entrance.
Khujand is the largest city of Tajikistan’s Sughd Province – the local name for the ancient region of Sogdia (learn more about ancient Sogdia in our guide to Panjakent).
And this museum features a general historical overview of the region, from ancient times until the Soviet era. Upon entering, you’ll encounter a large statue of Timur Malik, who we talked about above.
But the real highlight of this museum is located in the basement.
The basement is home to a stunning collection of murals depicting various scenes from the life (and death) of Alexander the Great. But they weren’t painted.
Rather, they were created entirely of stones. According to the sign, they were sourced from around Sughd Province as well as Badakshan, Afghanistan – where lapis lazuli comes from.
The artist behind this masterpiece is Rahmat Botoraliev, born in 1943 in Khujand. He’s known in Tajikistan for his monumental art detailing historical themes. But few outside the country are likely to have heard of him, and information on his work is hard to come by.
The basement is also home to additional historical and cultural exhibits. For example, you’ll learn about the Stone Age in prehistoric Sughd, while you’ll also encounter a ‘Hall of Aryan Civilization.’
A large mural of Persepolis, Iran reveals how proud modern Tajiks are of their Persian heritage, while you’ll also find an overview of Zoroastrianism and the Zend Avesta.
Around Town
Modern Khujand is a charming place to explore, with plenty of green spaces. And though it lacks some of the more elaborate palaces or quirky monuments of Dushanbe, it’s clear that the government has given the city a lot of attention.
Therefore, in addition to merely seeking out the landmarks featured in this guide, also try setting some time aside to wander the city on foot.
Across from the Sughd Regional Museum, you’ll find an impressive fountain and theater. Also within the center, you’ll find a statue of Kamoli Khujandi, one of the city’s most notable hometown heroes. But more on him just below.
Kamoli Khujandi Museum
Another major landmark in the city is the Kamoli Khujandi Museum, dedicated to Kamoli Khujandi (1320–1400), an influential Sufi saint and poet who was born in Khujand before moving to Tabriz, Iran.
He was a contemporary of the legendary Persian poet Hafez. And though they never actually met in person, they’re believed to have been literary rivals.
Khujandi would eventually die in Tabriz, and that’s also where his tomb is. Nevertheless, near the museum is a mausoleum built in his honor.
As for the museum, it costs 20 somoni at the time of writing. But before going, you should know that despite appearing like Khujandi’s childhood home, it’s a total replica.
The house is a reconstruction of what a wealthy 14th-century Tajik household would have looked like. So consider visiting for that reason rather than expecting to learn anything about Khujandi.
While it does make for an interesting visit, it shouldn’t be considered essential for those short on time.
The Other Side of The River
As mentioned above, while Alexander the Great never made it past the Syr Darya River, the modern city of Khujand does indeed expand to the other side.
With that said, the north side of town has a much different feel to it and appears much more ‘Soviet’ overall. But the area is also developing rapidly, with plenty of new highrises under construction at the time of my visit.
After admiring some sculptures of historic figures on the south side of the river, I made it to the nearest bridge and walked across.
It’s apparently possible to get across via cable car, though I’m not sure exactly where to find the station on the south side.
The first major landmark I encountered is known as Somoni Park, named after Ismoil Somoni, the founder of the Samanid Empire in the 9th century.
Upon seeing a massive statue of Somoni in the distance, you’ll know you’re in the right place.
Around the area, you’ll find numerous mosaic murals celebrating the ancient heritage of the region. One mural also depicts Somoni’s mausoleum in Bukhara.
Though Bukhara was the Samanid capital, the Samanids were the last great ethnic Persian dynasty to rule Central Asia, so Tajiks feel a strong affinity with them (hence why their money is even called ‘somoni’).
Before the statue of Somoni was erected, this square once hosted an equally massive statue of Lenin (Khujand was even known as Leninabad in Soviet times). The Lenin statue still exists, but you’ll have to walk around 20 minutes west from here to see it.
While I was curious, I was hoping to visit all of the city’s major landmarks in a day, and still needed time to see Arbob Palace – surely a much more interesting Soviet relic.
But first, I had one more monument to see on the north side of the river.
Standing at 55 m high, Stella Khujand features an observation deck that I was hoping to check out. Being situated in the center of a roundabout, the tower is a bit tricky to reach, but you can get there via an underpass.
But despite a sign saying ‘Open,’ I entered the tower to find it completely deserted. There were no staff in sight and all the doors were locked, so I had no choice but to move on.
Without the opportunity to visit an observation deck, I wouldn’t consider Stella Khujand worth the visit. Compared with Dushanbe’s Istiklol Monument, I found the design rather ugly, while there’s nothing else in the area of note.
While the tower appears rather Soviet, some online sources state that it was constructed as recently as 2016.
The Mausoleum of Sheikh Muslihiddin
This central attraction is the resting place of a former ruler and poet that was originally built in the 12th century. But like most things in Central Asia prior to the 13th century, it was later destroyed by the Mongols.
So the mausoleum complex was rebuilt in the 14th century and then again in the 16th century.
Interestingly, in his lifetime, Sheikh Muslihiddin was widely regarded as a holy man. And since his death, he’s been revered as the unofficial protector of the city.
It’s located near a lively market area if you’re into that sort of thing.
Arbob Palace
Arbob Palace is about a fifteen-minute drive from the city center (learn more on local transport below). Admittedly, I was feeling tired and considered skipping it, but ultimately decided just to go and get it over with.
But the palace turned out to be one of the highlights of my time Khujand, and, along with the Fortress Complex, it should be considered an essential destination.
The palace is not just visually beautiful, but its backstory is particularly intriguing, revealing the role that Central Asian cultural identity played during the Soviet era.
At the time of writing, entrance to the palace costs 30 somoni which includes a mandatory guide. Since I was the only English speaker there at the time, I ended up receiving a private tour.
No reservations are required, and I just simply walked up to the building after checking out the elaborate gardens.
Contrary to what one might think, the palace wasn’t built for anybody to live in. Rather, it served as the headquarters of a big collective farm in the area which was extremely profitable in its time.
The leader of the collective was a man named Saidkhoja Urukhojaev who was so influential that he sat on the Soviet committee. And Urukhojaev asked Stalin personally for permission to build an elaborate headquarters and assembly hall for the farmers here.
But Urukhojaev envisioned a rather peculiar design. He wanted the palace’s exterior to be modeled after the 18th-century Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, which itself was built as a response to the Palace of Versailles.
The palace’s interior, on the other hand, would utilize traditional Tajik designs with help from the very best craftsmen of the era. Luckily, Stalin ended up giving the green light.
Amazingly, the interior paint looks very fresh despite never having been retouched, according to my guide. The master craftsmen had promised that it would last 100 years, and it’s still looking good over 70 years later.
While I haven’t come across any concrete evidence, I think it’s likely that the story behind Arbob Palace greatly inspired Dushanbe’s recent Navruz Palace, along with the elaborate structure in the Fortress Complex mentioned above.
Sadly, however, the masters who worked on Arbob Palace never got official recognition from the Soviet Union for their efforts. So Urukhojaev stepped in and gifted them all cars.
Moving on, we encountered an elaborate room containing sixteen pillars. According to my guide, despite having been built decades prior, locals believe that this room ominously foreshadowed the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which ultimately broke up into sixteen states.
(Looking it up now, however, the number of countries seems to be fifteen – not sixteen.)
Near the end of the tour, we encountered an exhibit dedicated to Urukhojaev. He was an especially huge man, and some of his clothes are on display to demonstrate this.
Speaking of clothes, Urukhojaev was notorious for refusing to wear suits. But he was so influential that for conferences taking place in Russia, Soviet officials had to modify the dress code just so that he could attend.
Back outside, meanwhile, visitors can see Urukhojaev’s grave.
Back outside, meanwhile, visitors can see Urukhojaev’s grave.
Notably, despite its former prosperity, the land around here is no longer used for farming, though much of it remains government-owned.
Additional Info
Just prior to visiting Khujand, I spent some time in the capital of Dushanbe. There, zero ridesharing apps were working, and hailing taxis on the street the old-fashioned way was the only method of getting around. The taxis, at least, were distinctly marked, and they all used a high-tech metering system.
So upon getting dropped off by my shared minivan driver in Khujand, I waited and waited for a taxi to drive by. But none did. A local then approached me and told me that there are no regular taxis in Khujand!
But ridesharing apps do indeed work here, unlike in the capital. But it’s not the typical Yandex Go app prevalent in the rest of Central Asia. Rather, you’ll have to download an app called Maxim. Once I got it running, it ended up working out pretty well.
In any case, the situation could change at any time, so it would be wise to research the latest available apps before your visit.
If you’re staying central enough, a lot of the landmarks featured in the guide above can be accessed on foot with the exception of Arbob Palace.
Somewhat surprisingly, Tajikistan has some of the priciest accommodation in Central Asia – at least from the perspective of a budget traveler. And for whatever reason, Khujand is even pricier than other Tajik destinations.
Unfortunately, I encountered multiple setbacks when booking accommodation here. After first reserving a highly-rated private apartment on Booking called ‘Khujand Comfort,’ my host cancelled the reservation due to ‘renovations.’
There wasn’t much else left in that price range except for another apartment on Booking with zero reviews. I took the chance and booked it, but as I got closer to my reservation date, my host still hadn’t given me the check-in details and was ignoring my messages.
So I was in the middle of researching last-minute backups during the ride over when the host finally responded. Despite being a different host from the first guy, he also told me that the room I’d booked was unavailable!
At least he moved me to another place nearby. The apartment and location were fine, but it was only after check-in that I realized there was no Wifi! Upon contacting the host he said no, it wasn’t something that they offered.
Checking again, I’m not too shocked to see that the host I stayed with is now entirely absent from the platform.
When it comes to private rooms in a central location that are only a bit overpriced by Central Asian standards (and that also have Wifi), Khujand Star and Apart Hotel Armon are some of the only promising options. While a little bit far from the center (but still walkable), Family Hotel seems like another decent choice.
While cheaper options are available on the outskirts of town, I wouldn’t recommend staying somewhere that’s not within walking distance of the Fortress Complex.
There is currently no organized inter-city transport system in Tajikistan. Zero official bus companies seem to exist, so to get anywhere, you’ll typically have to negotiate and haggle for every single journey in the country.
When coming to Khujand from Dushanbe, look for the ‘Shared taxi to Khujand’ marker on Google Maps situated to the north of the city.
This is basically just a large parking lot filled with private drivers who will only depart once their vehicle is full.
In my case, I happened to be traveling on a Saturday, and I wasn’t expecting any issues when traveling between the country’s two largest cities. But I ended up having to wait for three hours for enough passengers to show up!
The problem is that there are nearly as many drivers as there are interested passengers, and even locals seemed to be confused and frustrated by the situation. (It’s especially puzzling considering how much money the government is dumping into new palaces and monuments.)
But in the end, I did make it to Khujand, of course, and paid 150 somoni for the ride.
Khujand is also relatively close to Tashkent, and you should encounter plenty of private or shared taxi drivers at the border.
When it comes to traveling onward to Tashkent from Khujand, first take a taxi to a place marked ‘Taksistkho Maschokh, Oybek’ on Google Maps. Once there, you should be able to take a shared taxi to the Oybek/Aybek border for roughly 70 somoni.
On the Uzbek side, I paid 150,000 Uzbek som for a shared taxi, which was perhaps a bit much, but the driver did drop me off directly at my hotel.
