"FACADES OF UZBEK MADRASAS OF THE XIX-EARLY XX CC: CONSTRUCTIVE AND DECORATIVE ANALYSIS"

Аннотация

The article is devoted to the study of facade architecture of late madrasahs of the 19th - early 20th centuries in Central Asia. On the basis of comparative analysis of madrasahs of Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand schools the typical features of facade design are revealed: portal composition, majolica decoration, epigraphy, symmetry and alignment of contour elements. It is shown that the facade was the main means of expressing the style of the ideology of the monument in the context of local traditions and colonial influence. The tendencies of preserving canons or departing from them in different urban environments are analysed. Key words: madrasah, Central Asia, Bukhara school, Khiva decor, Fergana tradition, dome, peshtak, majolica, facade, decorative and plastic methods. In Central Asian architecture of the 19th and early 20th centuries, madrasah facades underwent a marked evolution, reflecting local traditions and new trends. This period has long been considered a time of "decline", but modern research shows that it was then that distinctive schools and decorative programmes emerged. The later madrasas of Central Asia, despite a period of political upheaval and colonial pressure, demonstrate a vivid image of façade architecture. Their external appearance reflects the regional traditions of Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand, continuing the centuries-old corpus of Islamic architecture The purpose of this study is to characterise the structural and decorative features of the facades of these monuments.[6]. The facades of the late madrasas of Central Asia of the 19th - early 20th century are the result of a complex interaction of traditional architectural canons, local building schools and cultural exchange processes, which intensified under the conditions of political transformations associated with the colonial expansion of the Russian Empire. Bukhara architecture is dominated by the type of neighbourhood madrassahs due to the prevalence of private order, which is reflected in the corresponding facade composition. Bukhara monuments are characterised by laconic solutions: facades are predominantly formed of smooth brickwork, 8 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference devoid of abundant decorative decoration, with the exception of single elements of carved terracotta and lancet niches. Peshtak is usually emphasised by strict symmetry, with architectural elements such as guldast towers often absent. In the later architecture of madrasahs of the late 19th - early 20th century, a tendency to return to the classical spatial-planning scheme with the dominance of symmetrical facades and emphasised portals is revealed, but the decorative solution remains restrained, indicating the conservative nature of the local tradition.[3]. The facades of the Khiva madrasahs, on the contrary, demonstrate the stability of ceremonial monumentality and decorative richness. A characteristic motif is the use of majolica ornamentation in white and blue colour scheme, which covers the peshtaks and main facades, while the domes of the guldast towers are decorated with solid green majolica with geometric friezes. The typology of facades remains stable throughout the period under consideration: symmetrical single courtyard compositions with a pronounced vertical dominance of the portal ensemble, lancet niches, loggias and guldasta towers prevail. Private or small madrasas of the second line are characterised by simplified facade solutions and minimal decoration, which indicates the socio- typological differentiation of Khiva's architectural heritage.[1] The Kokand school and the architecture of the Fergana Valley are distinguished by a pronounced connection with folk forms of architecture and memorial construction in East Turkestan. The facades of late madrasahs are characterised by symmetrical or partially asymmetrical compositions, high peshtak with shallow lancet niches, as well as the use of large diamond-shaped and star-shaped ornaments in tile decoration. In contrast to Bukhara and Khiva, in Fergana and Kokand there is an aspiration to individualisation of facade solutions, which is especially evident in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries: there is freedom in the layout of volumes, creative combination of smooth brickwork, carved terracotta and polychrome tiles, and motifs characteristic of local textile production and carpet weaving are used in painting the ceilings of aivans.[2] The colouristic palette of facades and interiors expands significantly, green, red, ochre, blue and other colours predominate in the paintings, which testifies to the formation of a distinctive decorative programme. During the colonial and eclectic period (late 19th and early 20th centuries), there was a partial appropriation of Western European architectural elements, especially in palace buildings. Semi-circular arches, stucco vignettes, shaped 9 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE International scientific-online