Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa
Muhammad Aminxon madrasasi
Khiva's largest madrasa, with 125 student rooms over two storeys around a courtyard. It has now been converted into a historic hotel where guests can stay.
Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa was built between 1851 and 1855 and is the largest madrasa in Khiva. It was commissioned by Muhammad Amin Khan, like the Kalta Minor Minaret beside it. Its broad facade is impressive, with a tall arched portal flanked by blue glazed tiles and majolica, and a small tower at each corner. Inside, a large square courtyard is surrounded by two storeys of 125 small cells (hujra), which once housed about 260 students. It was one of the highest seats of learning in the Khanate of Khiva and once had an Islamic law court. Today the madrasa has been converted into a heritage hotel, where guests can stay in the former student quarters and enjoy the quiet of the old city at night and at dawn. Non-guests can view the exterior and the courtyard. The madrasa is inside the West Gate, right beside the Kalta Minor Minaret. Please respect guests' privacy in the hotel area. The rooms are in a converted historic building, so they are small and soundproofing is limited.
Opening hours
Exterior open all day; courtyard visits subject to hotel rules
Nearby sights
- Itchan Kala & City Walls
- Kalta Minor Minaret
- Kunya-Ark Citadel
- Sayid Alauddin Mausoleum
- Muhammad Rahim Khan II Madrasa
- Shergazi Khan Madrasa
- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
- Juma Mosque