Mirumar Asadov

Mirumar Asadov is one of the brightest representatives of the Samarkand school of restoration, a master craftsman, Hero of Uzbekistan, and recipient of the Gold Star medal. This high award is a testament to the fact that his services and talent brought the famous architectural monuments of the Eastern Renaissance to global recognition; today, tourists from all over the world are left in awe when seeing these monuments.

Mirumar Asadov (1927, Samarkand) is a master restorer of architectural monuments and a Hero of Uzbekistan (1996). He graduated from the Samarkand School of Monument Restoration (1941).

He studied at the Tajik State University (1962—65). He participated in the construction of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theater building in Tashkent (1947) and in the restoration of a number of monuments in Tajikistan (1950—55).

Mirumar Asadov was born in Samarkand in 1927. His future path seemed predestined, as in 1939 he was a catalyst for the founding of a national crafts school. It is worth noting that training courses were opened at the Sher-Dor Madrasah as an example of a unique Eastern architectural monument. At that time, his son Sodiq Asadov, one of the practitioners who inherited the traditions of the classical Samarkand school of restoration, was involved in the restoration work.

Mirumar Asadov himself came from a dynasty of master craftsmen. He was brought to that crafts school by his grandfather, a famous master known as Abdulavaz Oqsoqol. However, the greatest gift of fate for Mirumar Asadov was having as his mentor the renowned restorer of architectural monuments from Bukhara, Master Shirin Muradov.

As evidence of his extraordinary talent and ability, even the Emir of Bukhara himself entrusted him with the most responsible tasks, as Eastern rulers were usually distinguished by their delicate taste and artistic interests. At the beginning of the Second World War, the Samarkand Institute of Arts was evacuated to Moscow. Specialists from this educational institution participated in studying the training of future Samarkand restorers. According to Mirumar Asadov's recollections, he received the necessary education in painting and drafting from the Moscow specialists. This information was undoubtedly useful and important for the future master. However, it was only Master Shirin Muradov who unlocked the practical skills and professional secrets within him.

In the 1940s, Mirumar Asadov and several other students of the Samarkand restoration school, together with Master Shirin Muradov, went to Tashkent, where they participated in the artistic decoration using national methods of two culturally significant monuments in the capital of Uzbekistan. This refers to the restoration of the A. Navoi and Mukimi music and drama theaters. By the 1960s, fate compelled Mirumar Asadov to travel to Dushanbe. When the local elders learned that this man from Samarkand was a restorer, they asked him to restore their most prominent architectural monument. Mirumar Asadov participated in the restoration of the Sadriddin Aini mausoleum and the Rudaki mausoleum in Panjakent.

The most interesting thing is that before Asadov, European masters had worked on these architectural monuments. Even though they were specialists in this work, they did not know how to express the delicate taste and colors of the East.

During the years of independence, he worked on the restoration of the Baha-ud-Din Naqshband mausoleum in Bukhara, which is considered a prominent architectural monument. According to a special government decree, this mausoleum, which had completely crumbled and lost its historical expression, was restored. Today, this mausoleum has become a center of spirituality, and the fact that it is recognized as a unique, exquisitely decorated Eastern architectural monument is certainly a credit to the master architect Mirumar Asadov.

Asadov participated in the restoration of the Ulugh Beg Madrasah, Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, and Tilla-Kori Madrasah in Samarkand, as well as the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah and Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Mausoleum in Bukhara, and the Yunus Khan Madrasah and Qaldirgach-biy Mausoleum in Tashkent.

Following Mirumar Asadov's remarkable work, almost all architectural monuments began to be restored based on government decisions. His ability can be seen in ganch (stucco) carving, ornamentation, and stone carving. He contributed to the restoration of the Imam al-Bukhari Mausoleum, the Registan architectural complex, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the Shah-i-Zinda architectural complex, and the Hazrat Khizr Mosque.

In 1996, by a decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, the title of Hero of Uzbekistan was awarded to Mirumar Asadov for his contribution to the restoration of our people's cultural and spiritual monuments.

Along with his brothers, Master Mirusmon and Master Mirsaid, Asadov trained a dynasty of craftsmen who restore historical monuments.