Pahlavan-Mahmud ensemble

Pahlavan-Mahmud ensemble in Khiva grew up in the 14th-20th centuries on the basis of the revered tomb of a popular Khoresm poem, a furrier by trade, and renowned Herculean wrestler, who became known as the Protector of Khiva A graveyard grew around the initial mausoleum: the present entrance to the ensemble was marked by the appearance of a darvaza-khana built by Shah-Niyaz-khan in 1113 hijra by an inscription on the door. After Muhammad-Rahim-khan’s successful campaign in Kungrad in 1810 work was begun on basic reconstruction of the Mausoleum, which was included into the side gallery of a new structure whose main hall served as a burial-vault for the khans of Khiva. It is the burial-place of Abdulgazi-khan (1663 A.D.), Anusha-khan (1681 A.D.), Ilbars-khan (1728 -1744 A.D.) and Muhammad-Rahim-khan. The names of the masters who erected and decorated the fine mausoleum with majolica are inscribed: in 1810 the construction was supervised by Adina- Mahomed –Murad of Khazarasp; Mulla Nur-Muhammad, the son of usta Kalandar Khivaki and Sufi Muhammad , the son of usta Abd-al-Jabbar - did the majolica decoration in 1825 when another side gallery was attached. Abdulla Jin of Khiva designer the ornaments. The carved wooden door was made by Nadr Muhammad in 1893-1894. Abdulla mulla Sayyid- ogly Khivaki did chasing on the brass grille at Muhammad –Rahim-khan’s gravestone. At the close of the 20th century four karikhanas and Yakub-bai-khoja Medresseh enclosed the graveyard. A two-storeyed building, in which one of the premises was given up to Isfendiyar-khan’s magnificent burial-vault, was erected in the courtyard before the Mausoleum in 1913