This photograph of the Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) is from the archeological part of <em>Turkestan Album</em>. The six-volume photographic survey was produced in 1871-72 under the patronage of General Konstantin P. von Kaufman, the first governor-general (1867-82) of Turkestan, as the Russian Empire’s Central Asian territories were called. The album devotes special attention to Samarkand’s Islamic architectural heritage. Located next to the Khodzha Akhrar shrine, this <em>madrasah</em> (religious school) was completed in 1631 by Nadir Divan-Begi, vizier of the Bukharan ruler Imam-Quli Khan. The madrasah was planned as a rectangular courtyard with a mosque at the far end from the entrance. This view shows the main facade of the mosque with an <em>iwan</em> (vaulted hall, walled on three sides, with one end open) arch. At the center of the iwan niche is a portal arch (<em>peshtak</em>) flanked by faience ceramics and a lattice window above. The peshtak is framed by botanical patterns, while the area above the pointed arch is covered with faience work and a horizontal inscription band. The back wall of the iwan niche displays geometric tile patterns including block Kufic letters that form words from the Kalima, the basis of the Shahada, or Islamic declaration of faith. The main facade rises from a marble base in a remarkable display of faience mosaics and geometric patterns. On either side is a one-story cloister arcade.
<br>Architectural decorations and ornaments; Islamic architecture; Mosques; Photographic surveys
Bogaevskii, Nikolai V., 1843-1912
between 1868 and 1872 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P1319,+1868-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1326,+1872-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
<p><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://dl.wdl.org/3789.png">http://dl.wdl.org/3789.png</a>
</p>
<ul><li>Gallery: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.wdl.org/en/item/3789/">http://www.wdl.org/en/item/3789/</a></li></ul>