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Published: August 30th 2023
Kalta Minaret
Kalta Minaret , incomplete but stunning As I traveled in Uzbekistan, everyone I met, locals and tourists who had been there, asked if I was going to Khiva.
Located close to the Turkmenistan border, Khiva is often overlooked by tourists as it is slightly offbeat, but that would be a mistake.
I took a road trip from Bukhara to Khiva, passing by endless dessert. This dessert (on both sides of Khiva) makes Khiva very hot (50 degree plus) and very cold (minus 20), but I was lucky to get very good weather.
Khiva is like an open air museum, a really small old city but with a bunch of interesting places to see and probably the most colourful Minaret of them all.
The inside of the old city is called Ichan Kala, it's only 26 Hectares and is Uzbekistan's first World Heritage site.
One story is that a son of Noah, founded Khiva after a dream and he built a well, which gave water with a surprising taste and that well gave Khiva it's name. The well still exists.
I was also surprised to know that Khorezem, the area encompassing Khiva is considered the motherland of Zorastrian religion, the religion Parsis
Sunset at Kalta Minaret
Sunset at Kalta Minaret practice.
The most notable sight of Khiva is the Kalta Minor, a stunning blue and green minaret, which remains incomplete at 29 meters.
Close to it was the Kuhna Ark and Watchtower, where the Khan of Khiva used to have his personal harem, a private mosque and also meet his people. The walls of this fortress give a good view of Khiva, especially during sunset. The throne room is a highly decorated room where the Khan used to deliver his verdicts. As a design, most of these places have a yurt base just outside where the Khan will operate out of in winters (and the main room in summer). There is a jail next door where the different kind of punishment meted out was exhibited, it's hard to imagine how the world has changed in just 100 years.
The Juma Masjid is a mosque with 218 pillars which is not active as a mosque now, but gives very serene vibes. One of the pillars is made from a cotton tree from India.
The Islam Khodja Madrasa and Minaret (named after the Prime Minister of the Khan who built it) housed some interesting architecture. But the best
View of Khiva city from the Ark
View of Khiva city from the ark part here was learning about the Mamun Academy, which operated in early 1000 AD and was led by Al Beruni, considered one of the greatest minds of the time. The academy was best-in-class knowledge center that did lot work on medicine, chemistry, astronomy and philosophy among other areas.
The Pahlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum was absolutely stunning. Built after the patron saint of Khiva, who was a wrestler, poet and philosopher, the architecture here takes your breath away.
The Tash Khauli Palace, was the summer residence of the Khan. This maze of a place with 150+ rooms has harems, place for concubines and many more things to see. Extremely ornate with blue ceramic work, you can definitely get lost in the rooms after some time.
My best experience of Khiva though was just wondering the small streets, seeing the locals go about their lives, the cooking going on in Tandoors in the streets. It's a place that seems stuck in time in a good way. Sometimes life needs to be that way.
After Khiva, I headed back to Tashkent and then returned to India.
See you all on the next trip.
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