Madrassah of Muhammad Amin-khan, Khiva

The biggest medieval madrassah in Khiva, the Madrassah of Muhammad Amin-khan (1845-1855) is located opposite to Kunya-Ark at the gates of Ata-darvaza. Its area is 78x60 m. The Madrassah has 125 hudjras and could receive up to 260 pupils. The portal is crowned with five domes and flanked by corner towers.

An inscription reads: "This perfect building will eternally stand, enlightening our descendants". Hudjras on the second floor have loggias. They give a distinctive look to the madrassah - open arch niches along the external perimeter of the building. The rich decor includes brick mosaics, majolica, ornamentally carved doors and ganch lattices (pandjara) of windows.

Madrassah of Muhammad Rahim-khan

The madrassah of Muhammad Rahim-khan is located opposite the gates of Kunya-Ark. The madrassah is one of the biggest in Khiva. It was constructed in 1876 on the orders of Seyid Muhammad-Rahim II (1863-1910), known also as a poet under the assumed name of Feruzshah.

In 1873, the Russian army invaded the khanate and established a Russian protectorate. The rectangular building of the madrassah has a four-aivan courtyard and small towers at its corners. Wings with a five-beam arcade of niches flank its portal. Hudjras are roofed with "balkhi" domes and have utility rooms, in addition to dwelling rooms.