Dedicated to the memory of our mentor Saburdzhana Yusupov, who with his interesting stories and tales taught us to love the motherland, native nature, our favorite city Khiva

Madrasah of Matniyaz Divanbegi

Being the Minister of Finance of the Khan of Khiva, Muhammad Niyaz (in a local dialect Matniyaz) Divanbegi built in the central part of Ichan-Qala a madrasah and near it the covered market Chorsu in 1871. Madrasah of Matniyaz Divanbegi is located near Mohammed Amin Khan’s madrasah. By its central facade it is opened to the west, the area in front of it is landscaped. From the northern side from the madrasah there passes the central street of Ichan-Qala, from the south adjoins the newly constructed building of catering outlet of the restaurant "Khiva" located within the building of madrasah, from the southeast adjoins the mausoleum of Sayyid Alauddin. The madrasah in the structure (except for the part behind the portal) one-storeyed, has 21 cells, rooms of darskhana (audiences) and a winter mosque. In the period of activity of the madrasah there also was housed a library for students of the madrasah. Out of 21 hujras madrasah 19 were placed on the first floor, the remained two hujras were on the second floor behind the entrance portal. Entrance to madrasah is across a small three-domed mionsaray (lobby). Madrasah traditionally in its structure on its four corners is flanked by angular towers - guldasta. Side facade in the north furnished a shallow arcade remaining facades other than the central - blind (ie without arches). The main decorations are made on the central facade of the madrasah in the portal side, in the form of majolica tiles with floral patterns "islimi", the same patterns, only carved, available on the bivalve entrance door. On a marble slab set in the cartouche above the entrance door there is an inscription in Arabic font. In the period of activity of the madrasah there studied 42 students.

Madrasah Matniyaz Divanbegi since 1979, as a restaurant, along with a madrasah Mohammad Amin Khan as a tourist hotel made up the tourist complex "Khiva", adapted to serve domestic and foreign tourists. Overall dimensions of the madrasah: 36.4 m. in length and 31.8 m. in width. The courtyard of the madrasah has 21 m. in length and 17 m.in width.