The former palace of the Bukhara Emir is an architectural landmark of the early 20th century built in 1907-1911. Architect Nikolai Tarasov used the shapes and decorative elements from the Muslim architecture of North Africa. The building is asymmetric and mixes rectangular, angular and semicircular elements, porticos, terraces, balconies and gazebos, as well as intricately carved pillars with capitals and balustrades.