Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
74-78
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
25 April 2025
ACCEPTED
21 May 2025
PUBLISHED
23 June 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
Analysis of Residential
Facades in Uzbekistan In
The 19th
–
Early 20th
Centuries: Regional
Features and Artistic
Techniques
Salokhutdinova Munavvar Golibqizi
Doctoral student (PhD), Samarkand State University of Architecture and
Civil Engineering, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Theory and
History of Architecture, Uzbekistan
Abstract:
This article presents a comparative analysis of
residential facades in Uzbekistan from the 19th and
early 20th centuries, focusing on the distinctive features
and decorative techniques of the main regional
architectural schools. Using case studies such as the
House of Kh. Kamolov (Bukhara), the House of T.
Khudaykulov (Shakhrisabz), the House of A. Zubaydov
(Samarkand), and others, the study identifies key
morphological,
compositional,
and
ornamental
characteristics of facades. The research reveals how
local traditions, climatic conditions, and social customs
influenced facade design
—
resulting in a rich diversity of
forms and artistic solutions. Despite variations, the
facades of traditional Uzbek houses demonstrate a
common aspiration for harmony between interior space
and external expression, forming a core aspect of the
national architectural heritage.
Keywords:
Uzbekistan, residential architecture, facade
analysis, regional schools, Bukhara, Samarkand,
Tashkent, Fergana, Khorezm, decorative techniques,
19th century, early 20th century, aiwan, ganch, wood
carving, traditional housing.
Introduction:
The architectural heritage of Uzbekistan
from the 19th and early 20th centuries reflects a unique
blend of regional traditions and indigenous construction
techniques. Among various types of traditional
architecture, the facades of residential houses are of
particular interest, as they not only form the urban and
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Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
rural landscape but also emdiv cultural, social, and
climatic particularities of each region. While much
attention has been given to interior layouts and spatial
planning, the study of facade plasticity and decorative
techniques in residential architecture remains
underexplored. This article offers a comparative
analysis of the facades of residential houses
representing the principal architectural schools of
Uzbekistan, using specific examples: the house of Kh.
Kamolov (Bukhara), the house of T. Khudaykulov
(Shakhrisabz), the house of A. Zubaydov (Samarkand),
the house of M. Abdullayev (Tashkent), the house of
Ayub-bay (Kokand), and the house of E. Otadjanov
(Khiva).[2]
METHODS
A comprehensive architectural analysis was applied,
comprising:
-Morphological study of facades, focusing on primary
elements (aiwans, portals, windows, niches);
-Comparative description of decorative techniques
(wood carving, ganch stucco, painting);
-Analysis of planning and compositional features
influencing facade formation;
-Utilization of archival data, field surveys, and
published documentation (measured drawings,
photographs, descriptions).
The study selected representative examples from the
main architectural schools: Bukhara, Kashkadarya,
Samarkand, Tashkent, Fergana, and Khorezm, which
best reflect the specific characteristics of each region.
RESULTS
The analysis revealed distinct regional features in the
facades of residential buildings in 19th
–
early 20th
century Uzbekistan:
Bukhara School (House of Kh. Kamolov, House of
Khodzhaev Kilich-khuja): External facades are highly
enclosed, with minimal decoration and a dominant
monolithic wall; the most expressive elements are
found in the inner courtyards, where aiwans and doors
are adorned with elaborate wood carving and ganch
latticework (panjara).
Kashkadarya School (House of T. Khudaykulov, House
of Z. Akhmedov): Facades are laconic, plastered with
clay and straw, with decorative emphasis placed on
aiwans featuring carved columns and painted ceilings.
Samarkand School (House of A. Zubaydov, Kurghan
Karim Budura): Facades are oriented toward the
courtyard and richly decorated with ganch stucco,
stalactite friezes, and painted ceilings; rural mansions
(“kurghan”) display monumental facades with semi
-
columns and buttresses.
Tashkent School (House of M. Abdullayev, House of
Shukur Kudratullayev): Facades are simple, dominated
by blind walls and varied volumes; special attention is
given to interior ventilation through skylights. The
unique “Kashgarcha” sliding shutters system adds
dynamism to the facade.
Fergana School (House of Ayub-bay, House of Yusupbay
Khoja): Internal courtyard facades are richly decorated
with wood carving, ganch, polychrome ceiling painting,
and stalactite domes (khauzak), while external facades
remain modest.
Khorezm School (House of E. Otadjanov, House of
Komiljan Otaniazov, rural “hauli” estates): Facades are
compact and concise, with main attention given to
aiwans and entrance elements decorated with complex
carving. Rural estates (“hauli”) stand out for their
monumentality and defensive features, such as
buttresses and merlons.
DISCUSSION
The findings demonstrate vivid regional distinctions in
facade design of residential houses in Uzbekistan during
the 19th and early 20th centuries. Local traditions
dictated not only the choice of construction methods
and materials but also the style of decorative finishes.
The highest artistic expression is achieved in the inner
courtyards
—
especially in Bukhara, Samarkand, and
Fergana
—
where the mastery of wood carving, ganch
latticework, and colorful painting is fully revealed. [3]
Climatic conditions and social customs fostered an
emphasis on privacy and security, reflected in the
prevalence of blind external facades, high enclosing
walls, and inward-focused layouts. At the same time,
individual solutions by architects and craftsmen allowed
for expressive architectural images even within dense
urban settings (such as the house of A. Zubaydov in
Samarkand or the house of Ayub-bay in Kokand).
Thus, the facades of residential houses, despite their
variety of forms and decor, demonstrate a unified
tendency toward harmony between internal space and
external appearance, which lies at the heart of the
national building tradition.
The comparative analysis of residential facades from the
major architectural schools of Uzbekistan (19th
–
early
20th centuries) confirms that facade architecture fully
reflects the cultural, artistic, and social values of its era.
The uniqueness of each region’s solutions enriches the
national architectural heritage and serves as a valuable
resource for contemporary researchers and restorers.
The facades of residential buildings of traditional
architecture in Uzbekistan represent a unique synthesis
of regional construction schools, local traditions and the
centuries-old experience of folk masters. In the 19th and
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Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
early 20th centuries, expressive types of facade
solutions reflecting the climatic, social and artistic
peculiarities of each region emerged in the country.[5]
The study of facades allows to reveal the regularities of
form formation, to determine the specifics of
decorative decoration and architectural appearance of
the living environment.
The Bukhara school (for example, the house of Kh.
Kamolov's house of 1852, the house of a scribble
merchant, the house of Khodjaev Kilich-khuja) are
characterised by closed exterior facades devoid of
abundant external decoration, which is due to the
specifics of urban development and the desire for
privacy. The outer walls of these houses are blank
planes with rare portal entrances and a minimum
number of windows. The inner facades of courtyards
are the most expressive: the aivans are decorated with
carved wooden columns, lush carvings on doors,
stalactite friezes and gancha panjara lattices. In
particular, the courtyard facades of the house of H.
Kamolov's courtyard facades are enlivened with
intricate carvings, while the tiered facades of the house
of Khodjaev Kilich-Khuzh are distinguished by a
developed system of niches and richly ornamented
window openings.
The Kashkadarya school (T. Khudaykulov's house of
1879 in Shakhrisabz, I. Rakhimov's house, 3.
Akhmedov's house) is distinguished by facades with
laconic decoration and rational organisation of space.
The outer walls of the houses are usually plastered
with clay-saman mortar, have no expressive
decoration and emphasise the isolation of the estates.
[4] The main accent of the facade decoration is
concentrated on the inner aivans - their columns are
decorated with carvings and the ceilings are richly
painted. In House 3. Akhmedov's house 3. The facades
are enriched with deep niches and ganche lattices, and
the presence of ornamental paintings with epigraphy
testifies to a high level of artistic culture.
The Samarkand school (the house in the Kazy
Abdurasul quarter, the house of A. Dekhoti, the house
of A. Zubaidov, the Latifa-mudarris mound, the Karim
Budur mound) shows itself in the orientation of the
facades towards the inner courtyard, while the outer
walls are more often blank and treated with clay
plaster. The inner facades are richly decorated: carved
ganche details, painted ceilings, openwork niches and
stalactite friezes are used. The house of A. Zubaydov is
distinguished by an unusual two-storey composition,
where the quince of the second tier is cantilevered,
and the facades are decorated with polychrome
ganche decor, openwork niches and painted ceilings.
Suburban mounds (e.g. the Latifa-mudarris mound, the
Karim Budur mound) have monumental facades with
semi-columned buttresses and carved solar motifs
emphasising their defensive character.
The Tashkent school (M. Abdullaev's house, Shukur
Kudratullaev's house) is characterised by facades with
predominantly blank walls, different-height volumes,
lanterns and aivans providing ventilation and lighting.
[5] The houses have a unique system of lifting shutters
("kashgarcha", "rovon", "darcha"), which gives the
facades functional transformability and expressiveness.
In the house of M. Abdullaev, the facade is formed by a
complex tiered composition, where vertical ventilation
is provided by a lantern over the courtyard, and
decorative elements are concentrated in the interiors
(polychrome paintings, tokcha niches).
The Fergana school (the house of Ayub-bai, the house of
Alimjan Khoja, the house of Judge Abdurakhman, the
house of Judge Sadikhan, and the house of Yusupbai
Khoja in Namangan) is characterised by the richness of
decorative decoration of the aivans and internal
facades. The outer facades are usually blank, with
minimal decoration and a small number of windows.
Inner courtyard facades are distinguished by luxurious
wood carvings on columns and beams of aivans,
polychrome paintings of ceilings, ganche panels,
stalactite domes-hauzak. Carved ornaments with
epigraphy and plant motifs are widespread in the
interiors. The house of Yusupbai Khoja is an interesting
combination of traditional facade solution with
European design elements.
The Khorezm school (E. Otajanov's house in Khiva,
Komiljan Otaniyazov's house, country khaulis in Khiva
and Khazarasp) is manifested in the laconism of facades,
compactness and rationality of planning solutions. The
houses are characterised by a composition with two
opposite aivans (ong-aivan and ters-aivan), contributing
to effective aeration of the rooms. The decoration is
centred on carved doors, columns and aiwan sub-
balusters. In country estates (hauli), facades are
reinforced with buttresses and decorated with carved
lozenge-shaped ornaments, lancets and rosettes, while
internal decoration is minimal.
CONCLUSION
In general, the analysis of the facades of traditional
dwelling houses in Uzbekistan of the 19th and early 20th
centuries demonstrates the pronounced regional
peculiarities and richness of artistic techniques used by
folk masters. Despite the differences in composition and
decoration, the key features of the facades are their
close connection with the internal layout, orientation
towards privacy and creation of a comfortable
environment for the inhabitants. [4] The uniqueness of
facade solutions - from the austere and laconic ones of
Khorezm and Tashkent to the richly decorated ones of
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Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
Fergana and Samarkand - forms an important part of
the national architectural heritage.
Architectural
School
Example
Houses
Facade Planning
Features
Decorative
Techniques &
Details
Notable
Characteristics
Bukhara
House of Kh.
Kamolov,
House
of
Khodzhaev
Kilich-khuja
Enclosed external
facades,
expressive
courtyard facades,
two-courtyard
scheme
Carved wooden
columns, doors,
ganch
latticework
(panjara),
stalactite friezes
Privacy,
minimalism on
the
outside,
artistic richness
inside
Kashkadarya
House of T.
Khudaykulov,
House of Z.
Akhmedov
Compact, rational
layout,
plain
external facades,
emphasis
on
aiwans
Carved columns,
painted
and
coffered
ceilings,
deep
niches,
ganch
lattice windows
Functionality,
restrained
decoration,
rational use of
space
Samarkand
House of A.
Zubaydov,
Kurghan
Karim Budura
Courtyard-
oriented,
multi-
story or two-story
solutions,
monumental rural
mansions
(kurghans)
Ganch carving,
painted ceilings,
stalactite friezes,
ajour
niches,
semi-columns,
buttresses
Monumentality,
polychromy,
ornate courtyard
facades
Tashkent
House of M.
Abdullayev,
House
of
Shukur
Kudratullayev
Blind
external
facades,
varied
heights, focus on
ventilation
(skylights), two-
courtyard
compositions
Minimal external
decor,
painted
ceilings, sliding
shutter
system
("Kashgarcha")
Simplicity,
functional
facades,
dynamic
interior-exterior
transition
Fergana
House
of
Ayub-bay,
House
of
Yusupbay
Khoja
Two-courtyard
plans, G- or P-
shaped
aiwans,
high plinths with
storerooms
Rich
wood
carving,
ganch
panels,
polychrome
painted ceilings,
stalactite domes
(khauzak),
epigraphic
motifs
Lavish interior
facades,
restrained outer
facades,
integration
of
traditional
and
European
elements
Khorezm
House of E.
Otadjanov,
House
of
Komiljan
Compact, single-
courtyard layout,
opposite aiwans,
separation
of
Carved
doors,
columns,
complex beams,
minimal niches,
Compactness,
monumentality
in rural estates,
expressive main
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Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
Architectural
School
Example
Houses
Facade Planning
Features
Decorative
Techniques &
Details
Notable
Characteristics
Otaniazov,
rural
hauli
estates
functional zones merlons,
buttresses, ganch
and clay plaster
facade details
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