Kutlug Murad Inaq Madrassah

"The Kutluq Murad Inaq Madrasa is located on the east side of Khiva's old city, the Ichon Qala, immediately to the northwest of the Ak Mosque and opposite the Alla Kuli Khan Madrasa. It was constructed by Kutluk Murad Inaq, the uncle of Alla Kuli Khan (the third Khan of Khiva, r. 1825-42) and houses his tomb. According to legend, a person who dies outside of Khiva's walls could not be buried within the city; hence, when Kutluk Murad Inaq died outside, part of the city walls had to be removed to circumvent this restriction. The story, however, may simply be apocryphal. The madrasa, in typical fashion, comprises a large open courtyard surrounded by hujra, or cells, numbering 81 in all. A sardoba, or cistern, sits below ground beneath the courtyard. The exterior of the madrasa includes a large east-facing iwan flanked by two stories of minature iwan. The building's corners are anchored with guldasta, minaret-like towers that feature glazed tiles and, somewhat unusually, unglazed terracotta patterns. "