Samarkand - Tilla Kori Madrasah
Crowning Samarkand's iconic Registan, the 17th-century Tilla Kori Madrasah dazzles with its radiant, gold-covered mosque ceiling and tranquil garden courtyard.
About this place
The Tilla Kori Madrasah was built in Samarkand, in the northern part of the square ten years after the Sherdor madrasah on the site of the 1420 caravanserai. The main façade of the square in relation to the building is symmetrical and consists of a central portal and two-storey front wings with arched niches and corner towers. The spacious courtyard is built around the perimeter with small living cells, hudjras. On the western side of the courtyard there is a mosque-domed building with two adjoining galleries on columns.
The Madrasah building is richly decorated with mosaics and majolica with geometric and plant ornaments. The interior decoration is richly gilded, which gave the Madrasah its name, meaning "decorated with gold". In the gilded mihrab and minbar of the mosque, the surface of the walls and vaults with painted kundal is covered with rich gold.
Throughout its history, the Tilla Kori Madrasah has not only been a training centre for students in Samarkand, but also served as a Jome Mosque.
💡 Visitor tips
Visit in the late afternoon to experience the interior dome glowing in warm light. Allow around 45 minutes to explore the exhibits and detailed mosaics. Bring a wide-angle lens camera to capture the gilded ceiling's optical illusion.