Barak Khan Madrassah - Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The décor of the Barak Khan madrassah, with its brick façade, intricate carved doors, mosaic, and Arabic calligraphy, is unique to Tashkent. Founded in the 16th century by a descendent of Tamerlane who ruled Tashkent for the Central Asian Shaybanid dynasty, the madrassah, grew from two mausoleum chambers. It was restored in the mid 1900s and is currently the administrative center of the Mufti of Uzbekistan, the head of official Islam in the Republic.