Between the 9th and 11th centuries, Hulbuk was one of the four biggest cites of Central Asia and seat of te Shah of Khatlon. It guarded a giant salt hill which was of great trading value as well as forming part of the silk routes. Destroyed by the Mongols, the sparse remnants have been undergoing excavation since 1951, but as of 2014 a grand new museum will bring life to the finds adding to the remarkable reconstruction of the palace walls, complete with minaret and battlements. Seen from the main road driving east it's a startlingly dramatic surprise (8km west of Vose).
The museum section features a large scale model of the site as it would have looked. Behind the reconstructed facade the palace site itself retains the architectural diggings giving a greater than expected sense of authenticity.
