Kosh Madrasa (Abdullah Khan and Modari Khan)

History

Both madrasas were built in the name of the Shaybanid Abdullah Khan II, who until 1583 ruled on behalf of his father, Iskander Khan. The first, completed in 1566–1567, was the Modari Khan — 'the khan's mother' — honouring his mother. The court historian Hafiz Tanish Bukhari wrote in the Abdullanama that Bukharans themselves took an active part in building it. The inscription over the portal names the patron, Abdullah Khan II, the author of the text — Bukhara's chief judge Nuriddin Qazi Muhammad — and the completion date.

The Abdullah Khan Madrasa opposite was begun in 1587–1588 and finished in 1589–1590; its architect is unknown. It is a fine example of what 16th-century Bukharan architecture could achieve. The Modari Khan was badly damaged by a series of earthquakes and restored in 1998–1999, while the Abdullah Khan was extensively restored for Bukhara's 2,500th anniversary.

Architecture

The Modari Khan portal is decorated with floral motifs and the word 'Allah' in square Kufic. The Abdullah Khan Madrasa is unusual in layout: two-storey cells surround the courtyard, flanked by galleries and a tall iwan, and just inside the gate a classroom and a mosque open off either side. Its door jambs are pieced together from small bits of wood in knot patterns.

The ensemble sits next to Samanid Park and the Baland Mosque, so it's easy to see them together.