Kohi Navruz

Kohi Navruz was built as a teahouse and grew into something else entirely: a complex of a dozen halls covering tens of thousands of square metres, finished in 2014 and decorated throughout by Tajik craftsmen in carved ganch plaster, painted and inlaid wood, mirror work and stone, each hall in a different manner. It functions as a state reception and conference venue and is opened to visitors between events. The building was put up partly to give the country's craftsmen work at a scale that would keep the techniques alive, which is the argument its defenders make for the expense.

What you actually see

• The carved ganch - plaster relief work covering walls and ceilings.
• The painted woodwork - inlaid and painted timber ceilings in the halls.
• The scale - a dozen halls covering tens of thousands of square metres.
• The craft revival - traditional techniques worked at an unusual scale.

When to go

Year round; it is indoors. It closes for state functions without much notice. Guided visits run at set times.

Honest expectations

It closes frequently for official events and the schedule is not published far ahead. Photography is restricted in parts. The building is entirely modern despite the traditional decoration.

Nearby

Dushanbe centre is east, and Hisor Fortress is west.