Kutlug-Murad-Inaka Madrasah

The Kutlug-Murad-Inaka Madrasah is located within Ichan-Kala (inner city) in Khiva. It is named after Kutlug Murad Inak, who built it, who was the brother of Muhammad Rahim Khan I. Built during the era when the Napoleonic wars were unfolding in Europe, the madrasah is a worthy example of the special patterned Khorezm masonry typical of religious buildings of the XII–XIV centuries; filigree tile decoration; highly artistic carvings widely used in architectural structures of the XVIII century.— 19th century.

The building is notable for being the first two-storey madrasa in the city. Interesting decorative elements were also used here, such as embossed stamped terracotta decorating the corner towers and imitation stalactites in a niche at the entrance.

The educational institution was quite large, it was famous for its graduates, among whom were scientists, historians, poets and just well-educated people. Nowadays, part of the madrasah's premises has been allocated for the organization of exhibitions of paintings by Khorezm artists. These works allow you to learn about the way of life, culture and customs of Khorezm, an ancient state in Central Asia. There are workshops of artisans in the courtyard of the building.

Opposite the Kutlug-Murad-Inak madrasah is the Khojam Berdybiya madrasah, with a square with shopping malls between them. Here you can buy national souvenirs that will remind you of a trip to picturesque Khiva.

Architecture

The construction of the madrasah was carried out from 1804 to 1812. Since it was the first two—storey building of this type in the city, the builders decided to take as a model a similar building already built in Bukhara - the Abdullaziz Khan madrasah. The Kutlug-Murad-Inaka madrasah preserves some architectural traditions that were previously used in the construction of the madrasah. However, it also has its own characteristics that distinguish it from the previously erected buildings of educational institutions. For example, its facade has a more formal appearance, it is decorated with applied decorative elements, whereas older buildings look more like fortresses.

The facade of the building is decorated with decorative plaster, which imitates brickwork and alabaster stalactites. The towers of the madrasah stand out especially, for the decoration of which glazed and terracotta tiles with stamped patterns were used. It is important to note that such terracotta tiles were more typical of the architecture of Bukhara, in Khiva this is the only building with such a design. The entrance doors of the building are an example of skillful woodcarving, and the craftsmen used geometric and floral ornaments to create them.

The builders resorted to simplifying some elements of the building, for example, it was decided to do without summer iwans. However, many hujras were built, which served as housing for students. A summer mosque was also built on the territory of the madrasah. Unlike the lavish exterior decoration, the interior of the madrasah looks rather modest, and if decorations are present, they are on a very limited scale. An underground reservoir was built in the courtyard of the madrasah, in which the population of the Ichan-Kala fortress collected drinking water.

Legend

There is a legend associated with the madrasah and its founder. According to her, Kutlug-Murad-Inak expressed a desire to be buried in this particular madrasah. However, he died outside the walls of Ichan-Kala, and according to legend, carrying the body of the deceased through the gates of the inner city was a bad sign. Then, after consulting, the elders found a way to fulfill the will of Kutlug-Murad-Inak. It was decided to destroy the wall near the madrasah, so it turned out that it was located on the territory of Dishan-Kala (outer city).

The body of Kutlug-Murad-Inak was carried through a gap in the wall, the ruler's wish was fulfilled, he was buried in the madrasah, under the floor in the entrance part of the building. Later, the fortress wall was restored.