Khiva

Khiva (Khiva), the city of the Thousand and One Nights.

This walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a unique experience with its mud-brick alleys and traditional architecture.

Located in the southwest of the country, it was the ancient capital of the historical region of Khorezm, as well as of the Khanate of Khiva.

According to legend, Khiva was founded on the site where Shem (Noah's son) dug the Keivah wells. The particularly arid region developed a complex irrigation system from the 2nd millennium BC. and was occupied by various conquerors: Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, and Uzbeks.

The Itchan Kala neighborhood is located in the inner part of the city of Khiva, entrenched behind stone walls that reach a height of about twelve meters. It is part of the ancient oasis that was the last stop for caravans before they entered the desert towards Iran. Although many of its ancient monuments are no longer preserved, the city is a coherent and well-preserved example of Central Asian Muslim architecture, with outstanding buildings such as the Djouma Mosque, mausoleums, madrasas, and the two magnificent palaces built at the beginning of the 19th century by Khan Alla-kouli. Since 1990, the Itchan Kala neighborhood has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.