Smart Travel Asia

Khiva is ancient Chorasmia and later known as Khwarizm and Khorezm. It is formerly a large khanate (kingdom) of West Central Asia. Located south of the Aral Sea and is now part of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The ancient city Khiva is located in Uzbekistan and is famous for its many historic buildings which are preserved as a museum like walled city. Khiva is most intact of the ancient cities of Uzbekistan. Most of its historical buildings are of 19th century creation, and because of the excellent condition of its architecture, Khiva gives an excellent idea of what other cities of Central Asia may have been like before.

Khiva was not from the beginning the capital city of Khorezm. Historians tell, it was happened in 1589 when the Amu Darya, (ancient Oxus; Turkmen Amuderya; Uzbek Amudaryo; Tajik Dar"yoi Amu - large river originating in the lofty Pamirs Plateau, Central Asia, about 2495 km (about 1550 mi) in length) had started back from doomed former capital city Gurganchi (old Urgench). Amu Darya passed through the Khanate and emptied in the Caspian Sea providing the ancient kingdom with water as well as with a waterway to Europe. Over the centuries the river has shifted its course several times. The last turn of Amu Darya at the end of 16th century has killed Gurgangi. 150 km (about 93 mi) northwest of Khiva stand what had remained of the ancient capital. The ruins now are situated in Turkmenistan, in the neighborhood with the village called Kunya-Urgench, which means, "Old-Urgench".

Khorezm has put up great resistance to such conquerors as Alexander the Great and then Arabs of Kuteyba Ibn Muslim in AD 680. They attacked Gurganchi, but were unable to win full control over Khanate. Only Genghis Khan"s associates for the first time badly conquered Gurganchi. They invaded Khorezm and besieged Gurganchi. In six month of the siege, when Mongols tore down the dams on Amu Darya, Gurganchi was destroyed by water and fell. Then they massacred 100,000 inhabitants of the city, other ones were enslaved. Each soldier of Mongol"s army gained 24 slaves from Gurganchi. Only 200 years later the capital of Khorezm was fully restored and became same populous.

Five times Tamerlane moved forward to seize Khorezm, but only in 1388 he was able to take full control of that region.

However, conquerors were not able to annihilate this heroic and glorious city, but act of God was. When the capital was moved to a new place it was undoubtedly one of worse periods of Khorezm"s history. Although, with time khanate will flourish again, and for a short period, Khiva will become the spiritual center of the Islamic world.

In 1589, when Khiva became a main city of khanate, it was a small fortified city with a history approximately ten centuries long. Its legend of origin is that the Kheivak Well with extraordinary tasty water, around which the city grew up, was dug at the direction of Shem, son of the biblical Noah. The big well can still be seen today in Ichan-Kala - inner city of Khiva.

Russia annexed part of the khanate in 1873 (partially because of the slave trade of Khiva that caused terror in southern Russia as Turkmen raiders snatched peasants from their farms and sold them in the slave markets of Khiva and Bukhara). In 1919 the USSR deposed the khan of Khiva, dissolving the khanate. Khiva became (1920) the Khorezm Soviet People"s Republic, and in 1924 it was absorbed into the Uzbek SSR and the Turkmen SSR, which in turn both became independent countries in 1991.

Historical monuments of Khiva

Toprak kala, 1-4th cc. AD.
The Toprak site of ancient cities is located on the territory of Ellikkalin region of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. It was discovered in 1938 by S.P. Tolstov. In the year 1940 the first exploring works were done. The works have been conducted up to the year 1992.
This site covers the area of 500õ350 meters. Being of rectangular shape on the plan, it is surrounded by the fortress walls preserved in the rampart shape which are 8-9 meters high in some places. It was defined that one of the blocks housed the temples which were traditionally built here all through the city history.
The ram"s horns decorated with the gilded bronze rings were found in another building. The multiple gifts were lying all around: glass vessels, decorations, the alabaster sculptures fragments and plenty of wall paintings depicting the dancing fantastic masks. The warriors" figures in the warriors hall and the tsars" sculpture figures made of unburned clay in the tsars hall.

Ayaz Kala
Ayaz Kala is a desert fortress on the Khorezm section of the Great Silk Road. Grape presses twelve golden statues were found in the ruins of the ruler"s palace, dating from the third century BC. These statues were taken by the Russians to St Petersburg and it is difficult to make a case for keeping them there, unless one argues "to the victor, the spoils". They have much to do with the cultural history of Central Asia and nothing to do with the culture of the Baltic coast. The two surviving forts date from 400 to 700 AD.

Djanbas kala
Djanbas kala, fortress, 4th c. BC - 1st. c. AD. It"s located on the north-western mountainside of the plain rocky height enclosing the hills line stretching to the south-east from Sultanuizdag. In the years 1946-48 the first picture of the fortress was made from air. It"s of rectangular shape on the plan with the dimensions 200õ170 meters. The materials collected are mainly represented with ceramic which is characteristic of the early Antique (Kangyui) culture of Khoresm.

Kyzyl kala
Kyzyl kala, 1-2nd cc., 12 - beginning of 13th cc. The fortress is located 27 kilometers on the north from Biruni city. The monument was first discovered in 1938 by the HAEE workers. The fortress is located on the valley and has the shape almost like square with the dimensions 65õ63 meters, its corners oriented to the four sides of the world. The outside wall was cut with two circles of the lancet loopholes. It was apparently built like a defensive fortress and included in the line of the Khorezm fortifications, created by the government to protect the ancient Khoresm north-eastern borders. At the same time the fortress was the center of agricultural neighborhood and the junction of the caravan ways through Sultanuizdag mountain range.

The Big Guldursun
The Big Guldursun, the fortress of the 3-4th cc. BC, 12-13th cc. AD. It"s located 20 kilometers to the east from Biruni city. It was first studied in 1937 by the archeologist Ya.G. Gulyamov and in 1940 the investigation was continued by S.P. Tolstov. Finally, in 1987-1994 it was done by Î.Ò. Dospanov.
The Big Guldursun is one of the largest Khoresm frontier fortresses. It was built on the basis of the desolate antique fortress. It represents the irregular rectangular with the dimensions 350õ230 meters with the corners oriented to different parts of the world. A great number of pieces of antique and Middle Age ceramics, bronze articles and decorations as well as of antique and medieval coins was found inside during archeological excavations. The coins discovery is the evidenceof the fact that the last period of the monument habitation is related to the year 1220, i.e. to the Muhammed Khoresmshah ruling or to the time of the Mongols invasion to Khorezm.

Islam Khodja Minaret (1910)
The minaret was built by Islam Khodja, who was Khan"s Prime minister. Minaret is a symbol of Khiva, the shape of it ascends to early places-prototypes (Kunya-Urgench XIV) and very narrowed at its top. On the minaret, bands of brick masonry are alternated by a band of a glazed pattern. Standing 56.6m. high, the minaret has a base diameter of 9,5m.

Kalta Minaret (1855)
Minaret Kaltar minar (short) was conceived as the largest in the whole Muslim East (diameter of bottom - 14.2m.). But the building was halted at a height of 29m. People also call it Guyok minar ("green minaret"). According to Khiva"s historian Munis, the construction was not finished because of the Khan"s death in 1855. The minaret was to become so tall that "one could see Bukhara from it." The minaret diameter rapidly reduces with height which makes it ever steadier; it was planned to be 70 till 80 meters high. According to the legend, the Emir of Bukhara, when he learned about the construction of a unique minaret in Khiva, decided to build a similar one in Bukhara and made an agreement with the craftsman that he will do it after completing his current job. Khiva"s Khan learned about it and gave an order to kill the craftsman immediately after the construction was finished. The craftsman picked up this news and fled leaving the minaret unfinished. The minaret is unique both due to its size and unusual decor. It is the only minaret entirely covered by a set of glazed bricks and majolica.

Walls and Gates
The main gate of Ichan-Kala located in the western part of the city. Inside there were 43 stalls and a covered bazaar - Chorsu. Also inside there were tax collectors" rooms ("Badzhkhana"), money exchange rooms ("sar-rafkhana"). As being beyond repair the gate was demolished in 1920 and restored to their original look only in 1975. On the right is Muhammad Aminkhan"s madrasah, on the left - Kunya Ark (Old fortress). Size: height -10m, width - 4m.

Bagcha-Darvaza (19th century) (Ichan-Kala)
The northern gate of Ichan-Kala is a chambered building of bilateral symmetrical design built in the fortress wall. The southern facade, facing Ichan-Kala, is less impressive. Though similar in design, it is reduced in size and the revak is missing. Unlike Tash-Darvaza, the stairways leading upward stand out from the interior of monolithic southern corner towers and are placed on their sides, deep inside the wall of Ichan-Kala. Size: on the plan - 18,0 x 16,0 m; height - 8,5 m.

Palvan-Darvaza (1804-1806) (Ichan-Kala)
The eastern gate of Ichan-Kala also used as trade stalls. The gate looks like "dash kucha" (a stone corridor). The structure is stretched from west to east, the facades are shaped as arch portals, with six domes blocking the passageway and side arches accommodating trading stalls, two on each side. At the entrance, from the side of Ichan-Kala, there is an inscription reading "Shakhri Khiva" (Khiva city), where letters stand for figures giving the construction date as 1221, i.e. 1806 AD. This is the oldest part of the building, which is connected with Anushakhan"s bath-house and blocked with two small domes. The gate was finished by Allakulykhan in 1835. To the right of the gate at the exit from Ichan-Kala there used to be a slave market until 1873 and niches inside the gate were where fugitive and rebellious slaves were awaiting their lot. To the right of the gate at the exit from Ichan-Kala there used to be a slave market down to1873 and niches inside the gate were where fugitive and rebellious slaves were awaiting their lot. There were also usages to read the Khan"s farmans (decrees) and punished criminals at front at this gate. Hence the name for the gate, which, among ordinary people, were known as Pashshab darvaza (the Executioners" Gate), Kul darvaza (the Slaves Gate). Size: on the plan - 51.76 x 17.5 meters; big domes 5.2 m. in diameter; two smaller domes - 4.5 m.; stalls - 2.8 x 4.4 m.

Tash-Darvaza (30-40th of the 19th century-1873) (Ichan-Kala)
The southern gate of Ichan-Kala, built in the 30-40s of the 19th century during the reign of Allakulykhan. This is a six-chamber structure with a two-dome passageway along the central axis. On each side of the passageway there are four domed customs and guards rooms. The gate was used by caravans coming from the Caspian Sea. The southern main facade is flanked with massive towers on the sides and the northern - with decorative guldasta. Size: on the plan - 9.7x17 m; height - 9.3 m.

The walls of Ichan-Kala (Ichan-Kala)
The municipal walls are a rare example of medieval fortifications that lasted till the present; they also give the city the air of majesty. The city of Khiva was surrounded by two walls - Ichan-Kala and Dishan-Kala, which makes it different from other places. Ichan-Kala foundation was built between 5th and 4th century BC rising over the level of Dishan-Kala, probably due to the natural relief (according to the legends, the city was founded on a sand hill) The municipal walls made of adobe bricks (40x40x10 cm) were rebuilt several times in the course of centuries. Ichan-Kala wall is 8 till 10 meters high, 6 till 8 meters wide and 2250 meters long. There are massive round defensive towers protruding out of Ichan-Kala walls at the interval of 30 meters. The top of the walls and towers is lined with toothed parapet with slit loopholes to fight off attackers during a siege. The system of defensive fortifications included water-filled ditches; even now traces of those ditches can be noticed in the micro-relief in the south area while asphalt streets cover former ditches in the north and west. Dishan-Kala walls were erected by Allah Kuli Khan in 1842. One might wonder where they got so much clay for the construction. The research revealed that clay was mined two kilometers north of the city in the territory, which is now called Ghovuk Kul; as the name says, there is a big lake there now. Since long ago local clay was thought to be of very high quality, and modern potters still use it. The legends say that when Prophet Muhammad built the town of Medina, clay from these parts was used, and the lake, which appeared later, is considered sacred. The municipal gate was also a part of the town defense system. It has a special design suitable for guards who stood their duty protecting the town, which is prominently expressed in its construction: on both sides of the arched driveway are "terror-inflicting" towers, a watching gallery is built over the gate. The drive-way is covered either with an arched roof (Koy-Darvaza) or, if the passage is too long, with several domes. There are domed rooms on each side of the passage, which housed sentries, customs, courthouse and sometimes a prison. In Oriental cities, the gates and entrances to public buildings and private houses were given great importance: the more impressive were the looks, the more grandeur and respect had a city, a building or its creator. In the course of time, however, defensive function of the gates grew less important, and gates became a part of city design. The gates were decorated with beautiful colored glazed tiles and oyats from the Koran, some gates displayed texts praising Khans and, some-times, extracts from their poems. Some gates turned into shopping malls with time. There are four gates in Ichan-Kala: Ata-Darvaza, Palvan-Darvaza, Tash-Darvaza and Bagcha-Darvaza. Dishan-Kala had ten gates but only three of them exist now.

Let"s have a look at the names of Dishan-Kala gates:
1. Khazarasp-Darvaza is in the northeastern part of the city. The road to Yangiaryk, Khanka and Khazarasp went through that gate.
2. Pishkanik was located in the east and got its name from a nearby village. It was also called Kumyaska because of Kumyaska makhallya (living quarter) adjacent to the gate on the inside.
3. Angarik was located in the west and got its name, too, from the nearby village. The road, which is going through that gate leads to Baghishamal - Allah Kuli Khan"s summer residence.
4. Shikhlar, the southern gate named after the adjacent makhallya. Before the Khorezm People"s Republic was created, all income from that gate was forwarded to Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum.
5. Tozabag, the southwestern gate, with the road to Muhammad Rakhimkhan"s II summer residence (Feruz) going through it.
6. Shakhimardan, the western gate that got its name from Shakhimardon cemetery.
7. Dashyak, the northwestern gate called after a nearby village.
8. Kosh-Darvaza, the north gate called so because they are double (kosha). People also call it Urgench gate because the road leading to Urgench passes through it.
9. Gadaylar, the north gate, which got its name from the adjacent makhallya.
10. Gandimyan, the north gate named after a nearby village.

All gates were locked over night. The town gates played an important part in the life of every medieval town and gave each town unique appearance, important social and public facilities tended to grow next to the gates since long ago.

Gandimyan-Darvaza (1842-1970) (Dishan-Kala)
Named after a nearby village where the Gandimyan Treaty was signed in 1873 making the Khiva Khanate a part of the Russian Empire. Torn down to make space for a cotton-processing factory, the Gandimyan Gate was fully reconstructed during the 1970s from old drafts and photographs.

Khazarasp-Darvaza (19th century) (Dishan-Kala)
A mud house of the early 19th century was built anew in 1842 from baked bricks during the construction of Deshan-qala walls and under Allakulikhan"s reign. The gate consists of two mighty watchtowers flanking an open wide passageway on the road to Yangiarik. The passageway is crowned with a through arch gallery with a parapet on one side with ornate merlons above it - the only decorative feature of the gate, which, despite the facial nature of the composition strike with expressive forms and silhouette. The gate connects Khiva with Yangiarok, Bagat, Khanki and Khazarasp. Size: on the plan 23.5x6.5 m; height 12.2 m.

Kosh-Darvaza (1912) (Dishan-Kala) (Dishan-Kala)
The Northern gate of Dishan-Kala on the road to Urgench, built in the early 20th century. The facades are flanked with three cylindrical towers, with two arch passageways between them and a traditional gallery with merloned parapets on each side. Service rooms are located on both sides of the passageway. The gate"s main facades are decorated with horizontal brick mosaic on the towers and on top of the revak. Small domes on the towers are decorated with blue tile. Size: on the plan 25x17 m, height - 9.45 m.