Narbutabey Madrasah, Kokand

The Narbutabey (Norbutabiy) Madrasah is the oldest major building of the Kokand khanate still standing and one of the largest madrasahs in the Fergana Valley. It was founded around 1799 by Narbuta Biy, the ruler who consolidated Kokand's power in the late 18th century and whose sons, Alim Khan and Umar Khan, went on to rule the khanate at its height.

The building follows the classic plan of a Central Asian college: a portal leading into a large courtyard ringed by student cells, with a mosque and lecture hall. Its decoration is sober compared with the later Khudayar Khan Palace, relying on the proportions of the portal, brick and modest tilework, and that restraint gives it a quiet dignity. It was closed in the Soviet period and returned to religious use after independence; it functions as a madrasah, so access to the courtyard depends on the students' timetable.

The khans' necropolis

In the same quarter of Kokand lie the burial places of the dynasty. The Dakhma-i Shakhon, the "tomb of kings", holds the graves of members of the ruling family, by tradition including Umar Khan, behind a carved wooden portico. Nearby stands the tiled mausoleum of Modari Khan, built in the 19th century for a mother of the ruling house. Together with the madrasah, they make up a compact walk through the history of the khanate that ended with the Russian annexation of 1876.

Visiting

Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the madrasah and the necropolis together. Dress modestly, and be discreet in the courtyard if classes are in session; ask your guide or the caretaker before entering. The quarter is a few minutes by car from the Khudayar Khan Palace and the Juma Mosque, so all three fit into a Kokand morning, before lunch and the drive on to Rishtan.