Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasah and Kalta-Minor in Khiva, Uzbekistan

Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasah and Kalta-Minor Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasah and Short Minaret

The biggest medieval madrasah in Khiva, madrasah of Muhammad Amin-khan (1845-1855) is situated opposite to Kunya-Arkat Ata-darvaza gates. It is 78 m. long and 60 m. wide. The madrasah has 125 hudjras and could receive up to 260 pupils. Its portal is crowned with five domes and flanked by corner towers. There is an interesting inscription saying: 'This perfect building will eternally stand gladdening other generations'. Hudjras on the second floor have loggias. Hence a distinctive feature of the madrasah - open arch niches along external perimeter of the building. Rich decor includes brick mosaics, majolica, ornamentally carved doors and ganch lattices (pandjara) on the windows. Kalta-Minor - 'Short minaret' stands close to Muhammad Amin-khan Madrasah. Its massive basis is 14.2 meters in diameter and the top platform was raised to 26 meters. The minaret is covered with glazed tiles. It was expected to become the highest and biggest minaret in Central Asia, however, the construction was interrupted after Muhammad-Amin's death in 1855. Legends give better version. Having known about the construction of a grandiose minaret in Khiva Bukhara khan asked the architect to build a higher minaret in Bukhara, but the khan of Khiva got angry with that and ordered to throw the architect from the minaret. That stopped the construction.