MIR-I-ARAB
There are two big blue domes on the Miri-Arab madrasah, towering above the surrounding buildings in the center of Bukhara. Along with the Kalyan mosque and minaret, this religious educational establishment forms the whole ensemble Poi-Kalyan that is the spiritual center of the city.
Construction of the Miri-Arab madrasah dates back to the sixteenth century and is related to the sheikh Abdallah Yamani from Yemen, who was the spiritual peir or guide) of the Shaybanids. The exact date of the construction is still unknown, but is estimated to be in the early fifteen thirties. It is also assumed that the final construction was funded by Oobaydoolla Khan, through money received from the sale of three thousand captive Iranians into slavery.
This madrasah is considered one of the most interesting monuments of Bukhara, and is still an acting institution, where future imams and religious mentors receive their education.
Traditional national architecture is peculiar to this building – a square yard, surrounded with two floors of cells, two big domed halls in the left and right corners. There are two-store loggias adjoining the main façade in the center highlighted with a portal. The inner yard is adorned with composed carved mosaic. In the center of the madrassah is a shrine to Oobaydoolla – emir of Bukhara at the time. At the head of the building is the burial site of the spiritual guide of the Khan – Meiri Arab, sheikh Abdallah Yamani, in whose honor the building is named. The senior teacher of Oobaydoolla – Muhammad Kasim – was also buried there.
Miri-Arab madrasah was the only spiritual educational establishment in the USSR that had begun to function after the Second World War. All leading imams of the era had graduated from this religious center.
The décor of the Miri-Arab madrassah is dominated by different stone mosaics of exquisite geometric, vegetative and calligraphic work. The portal, tympanums and loggias of the main façade, the tympanums of hoojra arches in the inner facades and the dome drums are all artistically adorned. The external domes are covered with calottes of blue tiles. The interior panels and grates of the building are decorated with carved mosaic from colorful stones, while the walls are adorned with gunch, which is a plaster material similar to gypsum.
While the décor and architecture of the building are in exquisite oriental taste, the monument has gone through many restorations and reconstructions, finally returning to its initial look.