Miri-Arab Madrasah

The Miri-Arab Madrasah is considered one of Bukhara’s most fascinating monuments and continues to function as an educational institution where future imams and religious mentors receive their training.

The building features traditional national architecture, with a square courtyard surrounded by two floors of cells and two large domed halls in the left and right corners. The main facade is highlighted by a portal and flanked by two-story loggias. The inner courtyard is adorned with intricately carved mosaics. In the center of the madrasah lies the shrine of Ubaydulla Khan, the emir of Bukhara who ruled from 1533 to 1540. The burial place of Sheikh Abdallah Yamani, known as Miri Arab, is also located here, giving the madrasah its name. Additionally, the senior teacher of Ubaydulla, Muhammad Kasim, is buried within the complex.

The decor of the Miri-Arab Madrasah is characterized by exquisite stone mosaics with geometric, vegetative, and calligraphic patterns. The portal, tympanums of the loggias on the main facade, tympanums of the hujra arches on the inner facades, and dome drums are all adorned with artistic works. The external domes are covered with blue tile calottes. Inside, the mausoleum is particularly noteworthy, with panels and grates decorated with colorful stone mosaics and walls adorned with ganch, a material similar to gypsum plaster.

The Miri-Arab Madrasah was the only spiritual educational institution in the USSR that resumed functioning after World War II. Many leading imams of that era graduated from this religious center.

The building’s decor and architecture reflect exquisite oriental taste. Despite undergoing numerous destructions, restorers have managed to reconstruct much of the building, restoring its original appearance. The grand facade continues to impress visitors with its beautiful layout, just as it did in ancient times.