Madras of Mukhammad Rakhim Khan II

One of the highlights of Khorezm architecture is madras of Mukhammad Rakhim Khan II.  It is located opposite to Kunya-Ark fortress. This madras was planned and built by Khorezm’s khan, whose full name was Said Mukhammad Rakhim Bakhadur (1863-1910). The madras’ building was finished in 1876.

It is considered as one of the biggest madras in Khiva. Construction consists of outer and inner yards. The first one is square and surrounded by single-floor hudjra – cells. The entrance to inner yard represents a two-storied façade, which is faced with white and blue tiles, and flanked by tasteful turrets. Turrets are decorated with glazed pastel-green tiles. Inner yard represents 76 hudjra-cell and four portals exposed to the yard’s center. Madras consists of darshona (classroom), library, summer and winter mosques. Besides religious places, there are also some utility rooms on the territory of madras. People remember Rakhim-khan not only as a ruler, but also as a gifted poet and philosopher whose known pen-name was Feruzshah. We wrote a lot of poems.

Khiva khanate experienced one of its important historical events during his ruling. In 1873, khanate was conquered by Russian Empire.