The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, has launched a restoration project for the cultural and historical complex Kalai Khujand (Khujand Fortress). Over 300 workers and specialists, including folk artisans, artists, decorators, potters, and carvers, are employed in the endeavor, with more than 30 craftsmen from Samarkand providing assistance.
The renovation involves reconstructing the walls of the fortress, as well as an administrative building, ancient houses and courtyards of Khujand, a hotel, a museum, a teahouse, a bathhouse, service points, and other auxiliary facilities. The work is progressing at a fast pace.
The Khujand Fortress is believed to have been built in the 6th-5th centuries BC and was one of the most heavily fortified in the region during the 6th-7th centuries. It is an integral part of the fortification system of the city.