ARCHITECTURE
Nodir Devonbegi, the Grand Vizier of Imam Quli Khan of Bukhara (r. 1611-1642) and a prominent state and public figure, presents a very simple and modest pair of earrings to his bride-to-be on their wedding day.
Sensing her subtle disappointment at such a humble gift, the Vizier simply smiles and gently remarks, «In time, you will come to realize their true worth.»
Years pass, and a magnificent madrasa rises in the heart of Bukhara. Astonished by the grand structure, the wife asks her husband where the funds for such a monumental building came from.
The Vizier reveals that the rare and priceless pearls from the once-disdained earrings were sold, and this architectural masterpiece was raised entirely from the proceeds.
While this beautiful legend has lived on in the hearts of the people for centuries, the true history of the Labi Hovz ensemble is far more complex, majestic, and rich in historical facts.
The foundation of the ensemble was laid in the 16th century—prior to the Ashtarkhanid dynasty, during the reign of the Shaybanids. In 1568–1569, Muhammad Qulbobo Kukaldosh—the Grand Vizier, close companion of the Khan of Bukhara, Abdullah Khan II, and a renowned philanthropist—erected the Kukaldosh Madrasa, which became one of the largest educational institutions in Central Asia. Comprising 160 cells (hujras), this immense madrasa served in its era not merely as a place of learning, but as a major scientific and enlightenment hub for the region, forming the oldest core of the future ensemble.
By the 17th century, during the rule of Imam Quli Khan of the Ashtarkhanid dynasty, urban development reached a new milestone. Nodir Taghoybeg (Nodir Devonbegi), who served as the Khan’s Vizier of finance and internal affairs (the Devonbegi), set out to transform the complex into a unified ensemble between 1620 and 1623.
In 1620, the Vizier initially built a khanqah (a hospice for Sufis and travelers) on the western side of the site. Subsequently, to improve the city’s water supply and microclimate, he commissioned the excavation of a massive pool (hovz) measuring 42 meters in length, 36 meters in width, and 5 meters in depth (137 x 118 x 16 feet). The edges of the pool were terraced with fired bricks, and it was supplied with water from Shohrud, the main canal of the city.
To complete the ensemble, the Nodir Devonbegi Madrasa was constructed on the eastern side of the pool in 1622–1623. Remarkably, this building was originally designed as a caravanserai for trading caravans. However, at its grand inauguration, Imam Quli Khan praised the magnificence of the structure and declared it a «place of knowledge and a madrasa.»
Following this royal declaration, cells (hujras) and a monumental portal (pishtaq) were hastily added to convert the building into a madrasa. Another historically unique aspect of this monument is the depiction of living creatures on its main portal—a rarity in Islamic Eastern architecture—featuring stylized mythical Simurgh birds soaring toward the sun and deer.
Today, shaded by centuries-old plane trees, Labi Hovz stands as Bukhara’s primary calling card, where ancient history seamlessly intersects with modern tourism. The reflection of ancient monuments in the tranquil waters of the pool, paired with the serene atmosphere of the city, allows every visitor to truly feel the incomparable historical grandeur of Bukhara.
By Dildora IBROHIMOVA,
Bukhara