Ulugh Beg Madrasa

The madrasa was an important teaching center of the Timurid Empire, where they taught some of the most outstanding scholars of their time, both religious and secular. It is the oldest building in Registan, the only one from the 15th century and the only survivor of a wider architectural ensemble, which included several mosques, caravanserais, a bazaar, and a khanaqah (inn of Sufis). At the site of the latter is currently the Sher-Dor Madrasa, located in front of Ulugh Beg Madrasa.

History and context

The madrasa is one of several monuments erected in Samarkand by Ulugh Beg, who was a great patron of teaching, culture, and science in the city that was the capital of the empire founded by his grandfather Timur. This latter ruled the empire practically independently from 1409, while his father, Shah Rukh, commanded the Timurid Empire from Herat, where he had transferred the capital. Ulugh Beg was himself a scholar and scientist who stood out mainly in the field of astronomy, known primarily for its highly accurate star maps, although they were made without using telescopes.

Although it is common to present the madrasa as a university, some authors, notably Pierre Chuvin, note that it may be an exaggeration to consider it a true university, similar to those that exist today, because the teaching given there was very much linked to Islam. This was, moreover, consistent with the way its founder viewed learning: despite his facet as a scientist, Ulugh Beg was a very pious Muslim, who considered learning to be an act of reverence for the creation of Allah, so it is an anachronism to treat him as an adept of rationalism.

It is evident how the worldview and interests of Ulugh Beg were reflected in the madrasa project. For example, its decorative elements fully respect the Islamic ban on the representation of living beings, using mainly geometric and calligraphic motifs, as is usual in most Islamic religious buildings. Nevertheless, some considerable freedoms were taken on the façade. This is decorated with tessellated elements that form a stunning set of "constellations", which can be interpreted as a reference to the passion of the founder of the madrasa for astronomy. In fact, it is known that part of the building was used for some time as an astronomical observatory, before a building designed specifically for this purpose was built—the Ulugh Beg Observatory, of which very little remains today because it was destroyed by religious fanatics in 1449, shortly after Ulugh Beg's death. In addition to the Samarkand madrasa, where he was a teacher, Ulugh Beg founded two others, both also known by his name; one in Bukhara and the other in G'ijduvon, although some authors believe that these were built one of his sons, Abdal.

Given the similarities between the three madrasas named after the prince–astronomer in terms of plan and height, they may all have had the same architect. The name of the architect of the Bukhara madrasa is known—Ismail b. Tahir b. Mahmad Isfahani—who may have been descended from one of the master builders and artisans captured by the armies of Timur in Isfahan, Iran, who were forced to stay in the Timur's Central Asian domains.