Itchan Kala

Khiva’s walled inner town, with the stubby tiled Kalta Minor and the slender Islam Khodja minaret.

Most of what you see today dates from the 18th and 19th centuries, although the walls and some sites are much older. Khiva sat on the Silk Road, the old trade route between East and West. Two landmarks stand out: the short, wide Kalta Minor minaret covered in blue and green tiles, and the slender Islam Khodja minaret, about 57 metres tall, the tallest in the city.

What makes the walls special?

Itchan Kala is surrounded by walls that are 8 to 10 metres high and 5 to 6 metres thick, made of mud bricks. The city was once split in two: the inner town behind the inner wall and an outer town, called Dishan Kala, behind a second defensive wall. Along the inner wall towers rise at regular intervals. In total, the walls are about 6,250 metres around.

What can you see inside?

The Juma Mosque was founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in 1788 to 1789. Its famous forest of wooden columns includes 112 pillars, some taken from much older buildings. Kuhna Ark is a palace and fortress that was built in the 18th century and rebuilt in the 19th. There are also madrasahs, mausoleums, caravanserais and markets. Local legends say the clay here was used in Medina, and that Noah's son Shem dug the water canal with a magical spade.

On the globe

The model shows the walled town with the stubby tiled Kalta Minor and the slender Islam Khodja minaret. Look at the two towers and compare their shapes.