BUKHARA - Uzbekistán
Mir-i Arab Madrassah is located in Bukhara, Uzbekistan-
Its construction is credited to Sheikh Abdullah Yamani of Yemen in 1535.
In terms of design, the Mir-i-Arab has a rectangular courtyard with four inwards facing iwans, each one situated uniquely at the center-point of one of the rectangular edges. The exterior of the Mir-i-Arab spans 73 x 55 meters while the internal courtyard has dimensions of 37 x 33 meters. The interior of the structure also holds its own mosque and mausoleum in addition to the lecture halls that the four iwans function as.
One particularly notable element of the madrasah structure is its ornate two-story facade covered by glazed mosaic tiles inspired again by late Timurid artwork. This facade directly faces the Kalan Mosque and is further flanked on either side by blue domes, adding to the aggrandizing effect of the Poi Kalan ensemble.
In addition to its contribution to the architectural majesty of the Poi Kalan ensemble as a whole, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah has continued to serve its original function up until the modern day, making it the only madrasah in Central Asia with such a longstanding use.
Given the size of the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah and its continued use as a functioning madrasah over the years, other obsolete madrasah in Bukhara were eventually repurposed into makeshift shopping centers which left only the Mir-i-Arab as the sole functioning madrasah in Bukhara. Moreover, appreciation for the longstanding traditional use of the structure is evident especially during the time of the Soviet Union where the madrasah was one of only three centers that the Soviet Party allowed to continue operations.
BUKHARA - Uzbekistán
Mir-i Arab Madrassah is located in Bukhara, Uzbekistan-
Its construction is credited to Sheikh Abdullah Yamani of Yemen in 1535.
In terms of design, the Mir-i-Arab has a rectangular courtyard with four inwards facing iwans, each one situated uniquely at the center-point of one of the rectangular edges. The exterior of the Mir-i-Arab spans 73 x 55 meters while the internal courtyard has dimensions of 37 x 33 meters. The interior of the structure also holds its own mosque and mausoleum in addition to the lecture halls that the four iwans function as.
One particularly notable element of the madrasah structure is its ornate two-story facade covered by glazed mosaic tiles inspired again by late Timurid artwork. This facade directly faces the Kalan Mosque and is further flanked on either side by blue domes, adding to the aggrandizing effect of the Poi Kalan ensemble.
In addition to its contribution to the architectural majesty of the Poi Kalan ensemble as a whole, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah has continued to serve its original function up until the modern day, making it the only madrasah in Central Asia with such a longstanding use.
Given the size of the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah and its continued use as a functioning madrasah over the years, other obsolete madrasah in Bukhara were eventually repurposed into makeshift shopping centers which left only the Mir-i-Arab as the sole functioning madrasah in Bukhara. Moreover, appreciation for the longstanding traditional use of the structure is evident especially during the time of the Soviet Union where the madrasah was one of only three centers that the Soviet Party allowed to continue operations.