Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa

A lavish madrasa of 1651-1652, put up under the Ashtarkhanid Abdulaziz Khan opposite the Ulugh Beg Madrasa; the khan himself ruled Bukhara from 1645 to 1680, and the building went up in the first years of his reign. The rectangle of sixty by forty-eight metres was raised by the chief court architect Muhammad-Salih, but the work was never carried through to the end: the exterior finish of the wings of the main facade and of half the courtyard was left unfinished. What was managed is considered the summit of Bukharan decorative art: mosaic, majolica, painting, carving in ganch and stone, stalactite moulding, and in the glazed panels yellow and green are added to the usual blue range, with bouquets growing out of vases. Landscape motifs with mountains and clouds also appear in the paintings, showing the influence of Chinese art, a rare case for Bukharan architecture. The beautifully decorated lecture hall has survived and now houses a museum of artistic woodcarving. The building underwent a major repair in 1930, with the work led by the master Usto Shirin Muradov.

Address

Old Town, opposite Ulugbek Madrasa, Bukhara

Opening hours

9:00-18:00

Prices

10,000 som (~$0.80)

On the map