Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand
The Ulugh Beg Madrasa (Uzbek: Ulugʻbek madrasasi) is a madrasa (Islamic school) in the historic center of Samarkand, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uzbekistan. Together with other monuments, it forms the monumental ensemble of Registan, the old heart of the city. It was built between 1417 and 1421 by the then-Timurid governor of Samarkand, Ulugh Beg, Timur's grandson and prominent astronomer, who was later emperor between 1447 and 1449.
| Ulugh Beg Madrasa | |
|---|---|
Ulug'bek madrasasi | |
| General information | |
| Type | Madrasa |
| Town or city | Samarkand |
| Country | Uzbekistan |
| Coordinates | 39°39′17″N 66°58′29″E |
| Inaugurated | 1417–1421 |
| Part of the World Heritage site "Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures" | |
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.