It is the youngest monument in the monumental ensemble of Registan, which is formed by the Ulug Beg Madrasa, the Sher-Dor Madrasa and the Tilya Kori Madrasa.[3] It was built between 1646 and 1660, ten years after the construction of the Sher-Dor Madrasa. The madrasa was not only used for the education of students but was also one of the most important mosques for a long time.
Interior chamber
Tilya Kori Madrasa is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Timurid architecture, a tradition deeply rooted in the Persianate architectural and artistic legacy that dominated Central Asia during the 14th–17th centuries. Rather than belonging to a generalized category of “Turkic architecture,” the madrasa reflects the refined aesthetics developed in Iran, Khurasan, and Transoxiana, where Persian cultural and artistic norms shaped the visual identity of the Timurid Empire.[4][5]
Scholars such as Lisa Golombek, Donald Wilber, Sheila Blair, Jonathan Bloom, and Bernard O’Kane identify Timurid architecture as the culmination of the Persian architectural tradition, characterized by monumental pishtaq façades, intricate mosaic and glazed tilework, muqarnas vaulting, and richly ornamented interiors.[6][7][8]
UNESCO likewise describes the Registan complex—including the Tilya Kori Madrasa—as part of the broader Persian-influenced cultural landscape of Samarkand, shaped by craftsmen brought from cities like Shiraz, Tabriz, and Isfahan.[9]
The lavish interior of Tilya Kori, covered with gilded surfaces and a dense program of floral and geometric patterns, exemplifies the Timurid mastery of decorative arts. Its tilework, calligraphy, and structural composition closely parallel those of major Iranian and Khurasani monuments, reflecting shared workshops, technologies, and artistic conventions across the region.[10][11] The madrasa’s harmonious proportions, turquoise-and-gold palette, and synthesis of spatial and ornamental design make it one of the finest surviving examples of the Persianate Timurid architectural style, rather than a representative of a pan-Turkic artistic category.[12][13]
[1] Blair, Sheila & Bloom, Jonathan. The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250–1800. Yale University Press. [2] O’Kane, Bernard. Timurid Architecture (multiple academic publications). [3] Golombek, Lisa & Wilber, Donald. The Timurid Architecture of Iran and Turan. Princeton University Press. [4] Blair, Sheila. “Timurid Art and Architecture,” Encyclopaedia Iranica. [5] Petersen, Andrew. Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. Routledge. [6] UNESCO. “Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.” Official World Heritage documentation. [7] Roxburgh, David. Timurid Visual Arts. Harvard University. [8] Ettinghausen, Grabar & Jenkins-Madina. Islamic Art and Architecture 650–1250. [9] Allen, Terry. Timurid Architectural Ornament. [10] Michell, George (ed.). Architecture of the Islamic World. Thames & Hudson.
This article about a building or structure in Uzbekistan is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
