Said Otaliq Madrasa

The details and dates surrounding Said Otaliq Madrasa's original construction appear to be disputed. Some sources, citing the historical text Fathnomayi sultoniy by Mir Olim Buxoriy, state that the madrasa was built in the 19th century and was designed by master architect Ahmad Mamat Buxoriy. The madrasa was supposedly constructed under the patronage of Said Otaliq, the father-in-law of the then-Emir of Bukhara, Haydar bin Shahmurad. Said Otaliq also served as governor of Denov for several years. Other sources, however, claim that the madrasa is named after the late Naqshbandi Sheikh Hazrat Xoja Alouddin Attor, who died in Denov in 1400 AD. The official Uzbek government's heritage list describes Said Otaliq Madrasa as being built in the "16th century," Local investigations done in 2018–2020, found that the madrasa building was on the verge of collapse, with significant visible cracks and some rooms already partly-caved in. The madrasa was included on the 2019 national list of "Real Estate Objects of Tangible Cultural Heritage", and constructing a craft center there has been proposed. In 2020, the Uzbek government made plans to preserve the madrasa, add utilities and communication services to the building, and repair nearby roads. The repair work's projected completion date was March–April 2021. == Architecture ==

The madrasa's architectural style reflects the traditions of its time. Its courtyard consists of large and small rooms on both the first and second floors. Behind the façade is a main room, and the building also contains a mosque and several classrooms, all underneath a vaulted roof. The corners of the madrasa were decorated with bouquets. Two 40 by 29.5-meter terraces sit in the yard. The building's foundation is deep. Many of the decorative patterns on the windows, arches, and façades were made using ganch carving, a plaster-like art style that has a strong cultural legacy in Uzbekistan. ==Notes==