The positioning of the three structures creates a square courtyard in its center, with the Mir-i-Arab and the Kalan Mosque standing on opposite ends.

In addition, the square is enclosed by a bazaar and a set of baths connected to the Minaret on the northern and southern ends respectively.

The Kalan Mosque and Mir-i Arab Madrasah of the current day were commissioned in 1515 and 1535 respectively by Shibani Kahn's nephew Ubaydullah Khan after he and his father Mahmud Sultan gained authority over Bukhara.

After the death of Shaibani-khan in 1510, most local rulers (emirs and sultans) only partially recognized the central government.

In 1512 the nephew of Shaibani-khan, the young prince Muizz ad-Din Abu-l Gazi Ubaidullah, became sultan of Bukhara.

By the construction of the Kalan Mosque, Ubaidullah-sultan started the formation of a new capital, rather than fighting for domination over Samarkand, which was always hostile to the Shaibanids.

Legend dictates that during construction, the master builder, Bako, finished building only the base of the structure before taking a three-year hiatus to allow the foundation to solidify.

[3] The monumental size of the Kalan Minaret is further complemented by an intricate set of decorations consisting primarily of brickwork techniques.

Parallel bands of unique brick sculpting cover the exterior of the minaret without a single repetition, and the lantern itself supports a sixteen arched rotunda.

Finally, a turquoise band of tiled inscriptions lies directly underneath the three-layered stalactite decorations supporting the base of the lantern.

Overall, the decorative aspects of the Kalan Minaret were primarily resultants of brickwork, fully displaying the versatile capability of the material despite its simple construction.

The Kalan Mosque is an entirely inwards facing build with its lack of exterior windows juxtaposed against the open courtyard in the center of the structure.

The mihrab, iwans, and the walls of the mosque are all decorated primarily with traditional artwork correspondent to the late Timurid period including blue and white tile mosaics, vegetal motifs, and patterned glazed brick lining the building.

Eventually, Ubaydullah-khan sold three thousand of these Persian captives in order to provide the funding for the construction of the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah.

One particularly notable element of the madrasah structure is its ornate two-story facade covered by glazed mosaic tiles inspired again by late Timurid artwork.