Kosh madrasah in Bukhara

Kosh madrasah, which means "double" or "paired" madrasah in Persian, includes a complex of two elegant buildings — Madori Khan Madrasah and Abdullakhan Madrasah. These two madrasahs form a kosh, a traditional architectural ensemble of Central Asia, consisting of two buildings located on the same axis and facing each other. The ensemble of these historical buildings was built in the XVI century, their founder was the famous Uzbek Khan Abdullakhan, belonging to the Sheibanid dynasty. Kosh Madrasah is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as many other architectural monuments of Bukhara, the so-called cultural center of the country.
Modari Khan Madrasah

Modari Khan madrasah, whose name translates from Uzbek as "mother of Khan" (in the original — Modarikhon madrasasi) was built in 1566-67 (or in 947 according to the Hijri calendar). Of the two buildings in this architectural ensemble, this madrasah is the smaller in size. The building was erected in honor of the beloved and revered mother of Abdullah Khan II on his own personal instructions.

The Modari Khan Madrasah is a traditional Asian structure consisting of two iwans (vaulted rooms) with hujras (dormitory rooms for teachers and students) located around the circumference of the central courtyard. On both sides of the entrance portal are, respectively, a darshan (a room intended for training and lecture halls) and a home mosque. Above the entrance, a majolica inscription has been preserved, made in poetic form and indicating the date of construction of the madrasah. The artistic decoration of the building is considered quite simple and modest.

The facade of the Modari Khan madrasah is located at an angle to the rest of the building, due to the fact that during its construction there was already a functioning street and built-up neighboring blocks, which did not allow the building to be built in a rectangular shape. Therefore, this structure differs from all other similar structures by its unusual trapezoidal shape. The exterior facades of the Modari Khan madrasah are decorated with original brick multicolored mosaics depicting flower buds, examining which you can always discover something new in it.
Abdullakhan Madrasah

The Abdullah Khan madrasah (or Abdullakhon madrasasi) was built a little later than the Modari Khan madrasah in 1589-90. This building is considered one of the most outstanding works of architecture in Central Asia.

The Abdullah Khan Madrasah includes a madrasah building with two wings and a majestic entrance portal. Inside the building there is a large lecture hall covered with a magnificent dome. In terms of size, Abdullah Khan Madrasah ranks third among all schools in Bukhara (after Kukeldash Madrasah and Miri Arab Madrasah).

The facades of this building are also decorated with cool majolica (blue, light blue, green, white), which is better to study from a long distance. The ancient ornament of the walls of this educational institution tells about the traditional Central Asian landscapes and gives the building a colorful and festive appearance. As in the Modari Khan madrasah, there are classrooms in this building, which are accessed directly from the street through special wooden doors. On the second floor of the Abdullah Khan madrasah there is a row of arched loggias, which is its distinctive feature, since usually in such buildings there are only blind arches on the facades. Guldast towers (instead of minarets) are built on the corners of the madrasah, cut off by the height of the side wings of the building.

Kosh madrasah is often compared to two majestic giant teachers who watch the students studying at these educational institutions from a bird's-eye view. The square located between the two madrasas is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Bukhara.