Khoja Berdibai Madrasah

The Khoja Berdibai Madrasah, constructed in 1688, is one of the oldest surviving madrasahs in Khiva. It was built near the eastern gates of the city, known as Palvan-Darvoza, by the initiative of wealthy and respected residents. Unlike many of Khiva’s well-known monuments, which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, the Khoja Berdibai Madrasah stands as a testament to an earlier period.

The madrasah is a rectangular structure featuring a courtyard. In its operational days, the corners of the courtyard housed ayvans, where teachers and students would rest during the hottest parts of the day. The entrance doors were traditionally adorned with intricate wood carvings, adding to the building’s aesthetic appeal.

The interior of the madrasah is relatively austere, with the only decorative elements being the painted wooden grids (panjara) on the windows, which lend an oriental charm to the structure. In a remote corner of the madrasah, there is a darskhona, a study room for students. This room is a square, domed space. Due to the small size of the madrasah, it contains only 16 khudjrs (cells) where students lived.

In 1834, the Khiva ruler Allakulikhan initiated the construction of a large mosque and madrasah. During this construction, part of the city wall was demolished, and the exterior façade of the new madrasah encroached into the courtyard of the Khoja Berdibai Madrasah. This occurred because the foundations of the two buildings were at different levels. Consequently, the courtyard of the Khoja Berdibai Madrasah was divided into two parts, resembling a saddlebag, or khurjum. As a result, the madrasah became known as the Khurjum Madrasah.