Geophysical processes and biosphere: article

Аnnotation: We have carried out historical and macroseismic studies of Khudoyar-khan palace in Kokand (Fer-ghana Valley, Uzbekistan). Inclinations of walls and colonnades, damaged upper parts of walls and minarets, as well as architectural absurdities in the arcades of the outer facade of the eastern wall of the palace were revealed. We assume that the palace was largely built by the time of the Kokand earthquake of 1822–1823 and a strong seismic event severely damaged its solid buildings. This may explain the significant gap between the initial stage of construction and its final phase of 40 years. The epicentral zone of this earthquake was located southwest of the palace. The Kokand earthquake stopped construction and, while the memory of the earthquake and its victims was strong, the unfinished and dilapidated palace stood without attention. Time passed, the generation changed, the memory of the tragic event was obscured, the new khan needed a headquarters. The unfinished pal-ace was completed, but traces of a strong Kokand seismic event remained in it, visible even to the present. As for the strongest Chatkal earthquake of 1946, its dynamic impact in Kokand was apparently underestimated. The local intensity of seismic oscillations of II = 5.5 points, of course, could not tilt the well-built brick wall of the Palace Chancellery to the east. This requires oscillations with an intensity of at least II ≥ 6.5 points. Additional studies of the macroseismic field during this earth-quake in the Ferghana Valley should be carried out.