| Khiva | ||
 | ||
| State | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Corasmia | |
| Altitude | 109 m a.s.l. | |
| Inhabitants | 61.132 (2012 estimate) | |
| Prefix tel | 998 62 | |
| Time zone | UTC 5 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Khiva is a city ofUzbekistan in the province of Corasmia.
To know
Geographical notes
Khiva is a center of the province of Corasmia (Xorazm viloyati in Uzbecha language) near the city of Urgench, provincial capital.
The city is in an oasis on the edge of the Kara Kum desert and near the border with the Turkmenistan,
When to go
| Climate | gen | Feb | mar | apr | mag | down | Jul | needle | set | Oct | nov | dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum (° C) | 1,7 | 4,7 | 12,1 | 21,9 | 29,2 | 34,2 | 36,3 | 33,7 | 28,1 | 19,2 | 11,2 | 4,2 |
| Minimum (° C) | -7,2 | -5,8 | 0,2 | 8,3 | 14,5 | 18,9 | 21,5 | 18,6 | 12,5 | 5,1 | 0 | -1,3 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 9 | 9 | 20 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
Khiva has a continental climate like in the rest ofUzbekistan with freezing winters and long hot summers. Daytime excursions are also relevant in the summer.
The best times to visit are the intermediate seasons, the short spring and the equally short autumn.
Background
Khiva has existed for at least as long as the caravan trade has existed and, according to legend, was visited by Shem, one of the mythical sons of Noah.The name of the city appears for the first time in Arab chronicles of the 10th century AD.
In the 16th century, numerous Uzbek tribes settled in the surrounding oasis, abandoning the nomadic life and shortly after founding the khanate of Corasmia. At the end of the century the emir left the city of Kunya Urgench preferring to settle in Khiva with his entire court. The new kingdom suffered from instability due to internal strife between the various Uzbek tribes. The Khan Abul Gazi, ascended to the throne in 1642, put an end to the internal struggles and the work of consolidating central power was continued by his son Anusha who also attempted a territorial expansion against the neighboring kingdom of Bukhara. The 18th century saw a return of tribal anarchy fomented by the Kungrad and Mangit clans who lived in the Aral Sea region. Nadir, Shah of Persia, conquered Khiva in the period between 1740 and 1747 after which power returned to the Uzbek emirs who in the 19th century promoted agriculture with the construction of numerous irrigation canals. In the same years trade with Tsarist Russia intensified which brought great prosperity to the khanate. Khiva, however, was known for being a thriving slave market and also a haunt of ferocious brigands.
The expansionist aims of Tsarist Russia in the region manifested themselves as early as 1717, the year in which Tsar Peter the Great decided to send troops under the command of Prince Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky to the region. The mission failed miserably and the prince was skinned alive and his skin was used to make drums. The numerous Russian prisoners were sold as slaves at the Khiva market. A century later, General Perovsky in command of 5,000 soldiers attempted to enslave the khanate on behalf of the tsar. Even this mission ended in disaster before even reaching its destination: many soldiers perished from the cold while crossing the icy expanses of the Kyzil Kum desert and the same fate befell the 10,000 camels following the troops. Finally, on May 29, 1873, large Russian troops under the command of General Von Kaufman managed to conquer Khiva, redeeming the shame of the past. Russia allowed the Khan to continue to reign under his protectorate.
In 1918 in the situation of chaos that followed the fall of the Tsarist regime, Emir Isfandyar was assassinated. On 27 April 1920 the people's republic of Corasmia was proclaimed under the aegis of the Bolsheviks, who had emerged victorious from the civil war that had bloodied the Russia. Abdullah, the last Uzbek Khan, was forced to abdicate and ended his days in a Soviet prison. The opposition to the new masters continued under the leadership of some local or Basmachi leaders until 1924. In that same year Khiva was incorporated into the newly established Soviet Republic ofUzbekistan.
How to orient yourself
Khiva: full screen map.- The city of Khiva is divided into two parts:
- Itchan Kala a city within the city enclosed by walls rebuilt in the 17th century.
- Dichan Kala the inhabited area outside the walls.
Itchan Kala (Literally: old town) includes at least 50 monuments and over 250 private homes, the oldest of which date back to the 18th century.
West of Itchan Kala is one of the old quarters of the city, although not as old as inside the walls.
How to get
By plane
- 1 [link not working]Urgench International Airport. The nearest airport is that of the capital of Corasmia about 34 km from Khiva. There Uzbekistan Airways operates flights from Tashkent, Bukhara, Moscow-Domodedovo, St.Pietroburgo, Volgograd. With the national airline it is possible to reach Khiva from Paris-Charles de Gaulle with a stopover in Tashkent. Other airlines operating at the airport are there low costS7 Airlines with a flight from Moscow-Domodedovo.
By car
Khiva can be reached from Urgengh in half an hour by collective taxi. Or coming from other nearby locations such as Bukhara (6 hours). Shared taxis to Urgengh can be picked up right outside 2 east door.
On the train
The nearest train station is a Urgengh from where it is possible to take night trains to Tashkent.
By bus
Comfortable mashrutka they commute between Urgench, provincial capital and Khiva (35 km). Keep in mind that i mashrutka they depart only when all available seats have been filled and that the service ends at 18:00. It is not advisable to use buses instead because the journey times are long, the cheaper.
Another possibility is the trolley bus that connects Khiva to Urgengh. The stop is next to the north gate 3 Bogcha Darvoza by Itchan Kala. However, even this means of transport can be very slow.
How to get around
Considering the fact that the main monuments of the city are within walking distance, the only way is to walk. Inside Itchan Kala then there is the pedestrian area.
What see
Access to the citadel is free, however in order to access the various monuments and museums it is necessary to pay a 25,000 som ticket per person (plus a supplement for the use of the camera). The ticket is valid for two days and contains the exact list of places to visit. In each place the custodian affixes a stamp and a signature. The places excluded from the list are paid, such as the visit to the Khoja minaret. The ticket office is located inside the west door (Ota Darvoza).
Entrance doors to Itchan Kala
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- 1 Ota Darvoza (Gate of the West). Ota Darvoza (Father's Gate) is the gateway to the old city (Itchan Kala) of Khiva) which opens on the western side of the ancient walls. It is the most famous of the 4 gates of the ancient city, although it is a construction from 1975 that reproduces the original destroyed by the Soviets in 1920, in their attempt to reclaim the ancient Tsarist possessions in Central Asia. In the immediate vicinity of the gate is the Orient Star, the most famous of Khiva's hotels, obtained from the ancient "Mohammed Amin Khan" madrassa.
- 2 Bogcha Darvoza (North Gate). Bogcha Darvoza (Garden Gate) is the gate of Itchan Kala which opens on the north side. It measures 18x16 meters including the two towers that flank it. An internal staircase allows access to the ramparts of the ancient walls.
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- 3 Palvan Darvoza (Gate of the East). Palvan Darvoza (giant gate) is the gate that opens on the eastern side of the walls of Itchan Kala. It was built between 1806 and 1835 in the vicinity of the slave market which remained in operation until 1873, the year in which the khan of Khiva accepted the protectorate of the Russian empire. and were executed right under the Palvan Darvoza.
- 4 Tosh Darvoza (South Gate). Tosh Darvoza (Stone Gate) is the Itchan Kala gate that opens on the south side of the walls. It was built in 1830 by order of the head of the Khiva khanate, Alla Kuli Khan. At the time of the caravan trade on the Silk Road it was the access point for the caravans coming from the Caspian Sea. The gate is flanked by two towers. The adjacent stretch of walls still retains the original battlements.
Madrase and mosques
- 5 Madrassa of Khan Mohammed Amin. Built between 1852 and 1855, the building welcomes visitors who enter through the Ata Darvasa gate which opens into the western sector of the walls. The Koranic school could accommodate about 250 students. Today this historic building has been used as a luxury hotel (Khiva hotel), able to accommodate a hundred tourists and also houses a travel agency. And the student cells have been transformed into welcoming rooms for foreign visitors despite the opposition of the leaders of theUNESCO. Once you have crossed the imposing entrance portal, you enter a large courtyard where lessons were once given. On the left is the mosque which now houses the hotel bar.
- 6 Allakuli Khan Madrasa (Between the covered bazaar Tim Alla Kuli Khan and Palvan Darvoza). It was raised in 1834 with the personal funds of Alla Kuli, at the time of the Khiva khan. Its main facade opens onto the courtyard of the Khodjamberdy Bey madrasa and is decorated with local tiles in shades of white and blue. The decorations are outlined in black and are evident in the tympanums and in the double arches.The internal courtyard measures 30 x 34 meters and each side bears a iwan (covered portal).
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- 7 Djuma mosque. The Djuma Mosque dates back to the 10th century but was rebuilt towards the end of the 18th century. It was restored between 1996 and 1997 and on that occasion some columns were replaced. The building measures 55x46 m and its interior consists of a single, large room, with 218 wooden columns whose bases bear engravings with Kufic writings from the 10th-11th centuries. The minaret of the mosque reaches a height of 47 m
- 8 Ak mosque (White mosque) (Near the east entrance). Small mosque
- 9 Said Niyoz Sholikorboy Mosque (In front of the east gate of Itchan Kala). Small mosque outside the walls
- 10 Arab Mohammed Khan Madrasa.
- 11 Emir Tura Madrassa. Splendid madrassa in a state of neglect.
Other monuments
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- 12 Kalta Minor Minaret. The Kalta Minor minaret (or Kaltaminâr), which means "short minaret" and also called "green minaret", was built on commission of the khan of Khiva, Mohammed Amin whose purpose was to erect the tallest minaret in the East. According to the project, it had to reach 70, 80 meters in height and have a tapered shape with a decreasing diameter. However, the works stopped when the minaret had reached 29 meters in height and were never resumed. According to the historian Agakhi the construction was interrupted due to the death of the king in 1855 and according to others because the minaret would have collapsed if it had been raised again. There is also a legendary version, according to which the emir of Bukharahaving learned of the construction of the minaret, he wanted to have one built higher than his own city. To achieve his goal he made an agreement with the architect who was directing the works of the Kalta Minor inviting him to his court but the Khan of Khiva, having wind of the plot, ordered to kill the architect once the minaret was completed. However, after being informed, he immediately fled, leaving the work unfinished. The Kaltaminâr is located on the east side of the Mohammed Amin Khan madrasa. What makes it unique is the glazed majolica decoration in the shade of turquoise.
- 13 Sayid Alauddin Mausoleum. Built in 1303 in honor of a famous Sufi sheikh of the time, the mausoleum is the oldest monument in the city still standing. It has a square plan and is surmounted by a dome. At its center is the tomb of the Sufi saint entirely covered with majolica from the first half of the 14th century. The ziaratkhaneh dates back to the 17th century. The tomb next to it is a cenotaph intended to house the remains of the ceramist Amir Kulal who was also the builder of the mausoleum. The potter was however buried in Bukhara, his hometown.
- 14 Al-Khwarizmi statue. Statue of the mathematician famous for discovering algorithms, whose term derives from his name.
- 15 Southwest Cemetery. Ancient Islamic cemetery within the city walls.
- 16 Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum.
- 17 Narallabay Palace. One of the few sites outside the walls.
- 18 Tosh-hovli Palace.
Museums
- 19 Kunya Ark (Old fortress). The old fortress served as a residence for the emirs in times of civil turmoil. It was built in the 12th century by Ok Shihbobo and enlarged in 1686 by Arang-khan. Being a palace, it consisted of several rooms intended to house the harem, the mint, the stables, the arsenal, the mosque and the prison. Today the complex is a museum with paid admission. Remarkable inside is the summer mosque, dating back to 1838 and decorated with glazed tiles reproducing floral motifs in shades of white and blue. The throne room from 1816 is located in an open courtyard, respecting the nomadic traditions of the Uzbeks. The baths (hammam) are from 1657.
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- 20 Mohammed Rahim Khan Madrasa (Khiva History Museum). The madrasa is located east of the Kunya-Ark citadel. It bears the name of the Khan who built it, Muhammad Rahim Khan II (1845-1910), his full name was Saeed Mohammed Rahim Khan Bahadur, his people called him Madraïm Khan. He came to power after the death of his father in 1864. He himself wrote poems under the pseudonym of Feruz or Feruz Shah. The building was completed in 1876, three years after the Russian Empire signed the Khiva Khanate Protectorate Treaty. The madrasa then becomes one of the largest in Central Asia with its seventy-six cells for students of the Koranic sciences. It consists of two courts; in the inner courtyard are the cells, the rear courtyard has a body of the building on a higher floor for the cells, with a portal (pishtak) that is imposed on the main facade. Madrasa includes a winter and a summer mosque, libraries and darskhons. The art of majolica is used with great delicacy as an ornament. The rectangular main courtyard includes an iwan in the center of each side and turrets at the corners. The four corners of the courtyard allow everyone access to three cells. The entrance gate is imposing and is flanked by large wings with five spans with arched niches. The cells of the madrasa are covered with domes, called balkhi. Each of them includes a bedroom and a small room for domestic use. The iwans include a frieze with Nastaliq-style inscriptions at the top. The external structure of the cells follows a classic pattern: a niche with a carved wooden door, a crossbar, and above it a white geometric grid window. In the middle of the main courtyard there is a garden near a fountain. One room houses a museum of the history of the khans of Khiva. A tightrope walker show, accompanied by musicians, is regularly organized in the main courtyard.
- 21 Madrasa Koutloug Mourad Inak (Museum of fine arts). Inside there is a small art museum with paintings by painters who represented Khiva and Uzbekistan.
- 22 Abdullakhon Madrasa (Nature Museum). Madrasa used as a small museum of nature, with stuffed animals and reconstructions. Not very interesting.
- 23 Islam Khodja complex (Khiva Museum of Applied Arts). Madrasa and minaret. It is possible to climb the minaret to enjoy the panorama of the city with a ticket, while in the madrasa there is the Museum of Applied Arts of Khiva with objects and clothes from Khiva.
- 24 Madrasa Matpanoh boy (In front of the entrance to the Juma mosque). Small madrasa with a museum of portraits of characters from the ancient history of Uzbekistan.
- 25 Former school. Small museum with photographic exhibition.
- 26 Kazi Kalyan Madrassa. Museum of musical instruments.
Events and parties
What to do
By arranging with taxi drivers or asking in hotels, it is possible to consider a day trip to the nearby castles around Urgengh.
Shopping
- 1 Market (Outside the east gate).
morning. Fruit and vegetable market, but also home-made products. - 2 Allakuli Khan Tim Market (Next to the Allakuli khan madrasa). Covered bazaar for souvenirs and textiles.
- 3 Market (In front of the Narallabay Palace (Dishan Kala)). Small Soviet-style market.
morning. Fruit and vegetable market, but also home-made products.How to have fun
Where to eat
Moderate prices
- 1 Café Farrukh. Inner courtyard and yurt.
Average prices
- 2 Khorezm Art (At the Medrasa Allakulikhan), ☎ 998 62 375 79 18. Good quality of food, presence of wifi.
High prices
- 3 Bir Gumbaz, ☎ 998 90 187 26 51. Restaurant and bar next to the Kalta Minor. You pay for the location.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Islambek, Tosjpolatov 60, ☎ 998 62 375 30 23.
US $ 15-20. Free network connection. Folklore shows in the evening. - 2 Arkhonchi, Pahlavan Mahmoud, 10, ☎ 998 62 375 2230. One of the first private hotels to operate in Khiva. Great views over the old town.
- 3 Sobir Arkonchi, S.Markasi, 1, ☎ 998 62 3758766. Outside the old city but close to the north gate and bus stop.
- 4 B&B Zafarbek, Tashpolatova 28, ☎ 998 62 375 6038, 998 97 510 0144.
- 5 Isaak Hoja, A. Rachmanov Str 70, ☎ 998 62 375 9283. With beautiful views of the west gate and the ancient walls.
- 6 B&B Meros, A.Boltaeva Str 57, ☎ 998 62 375 7642.
- 7 B&B Mirzaboshi, P. Makhmud Str 1, ☎ 998 62 375 2753.
- 8 B&B Lali Opa, Kalantarov Str, ☎ 998 62 375 4449.
- B&B Otabek, Islam Hoja Str 3, ☎ 998 62 375 6177.
- B&B Ganishon Afanshi, P. Makhmud, 3. Converted from a traditional style old town house.
- 9 B&B Orzu, 74 Tashpulatov Street (Near the east gate). 25-30€. Check in: 14:00-24:00, check-out: 12:30. Very clean and comfortable B&B.
US $ 15-20. Free network connection. Folklore shows in the evening.Average prices
- 10 Malika Khiva hotels, 19A, P. Kori Street (Near the West Gate, from its outer side), ☎ 998 62 375 2665. Decorated in a style reminiscent of the more sumptuous Orient Star, the Malika hotel gives the feeling to those who stay there that they are inside an ancient Koranic school although the construction dates back to 2004.
- Malika Khorezm, 5 Center (Near the North Gate and the corresponding bus stop), ☎ 998 62 375 5451. ~ Single from 64,000 som, double from 85,000 som. One of the few hotels in Khiva that has been in operation since the Soviet era but has undergone a thorough restoration that has eliminated all traces of the ancient regime when it was run by the Intourist, the Soviet tourism agency.
- Schachrizofa, Islam Hoja Str 35, ☎ 998 62 375 9532. Boutique hotel in a traditional building with carved wood decorations.
High prices
- Orient Star Khiva, 1 Paklavan Makhmud (on the side of the Kalta Minor minaret). ~ Single from 64,000 som, double from 107,000 som. Charming hotel converted from the Mohammed Amin Khan madrassa. The rooms are the cells once occupied by the students of the Koranic school. Since Soviet times it was considered the best hotel in the old city and still is today. Its ace in the hole is the position on the side of the west door and this is also the reason why it costs more than the others.
- 11 Malika Kheivak, 10 Islam Khodja (Near the Islam Khoja minaret). Single from 71,000 som, double from 100,000 som. Like the Orient Star, Malika Kheivak also stands out for its location right in the center of the old city which can be admired from the rooftop terrace.
- 12 Asia Khiva, Kadir Yaqubova (Outside the old city near the south gate), ☎ 998 62 3757683. Single from 67,000 som, double from 105,000 som. The unpleasant location of this hotel is compensated for by a greater number of amenities such as the swimming pool with bar service, which is difficult to find among its competitors.
Safety
Street lighting in some parts of the city can be very poor, if not completely absent. The use of flashlights or lighting through your mobile phone screen is recommended. The bottom of some roads is in fact quite bumpy and there is a risk of twists or falls.
How to keep in touch
Internet
The internet connection is present in the hotels however it is almost always very slow, except in the early hours of the morning when the user traffic is scarce. In some places it is possible to use wifi.
Keep informed
- 4 Tourist information office (Near the Kalyan minaret). The office also allows you to book excursions in the surrounding area.
Around
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- 5 Toprak Kala. Ruins of an era city Kushan, flourishing from the 1st to the 5th century AD. Although archaeological excavations have unearthed artifacts that demonstrated the Hellenistic and Achaemenid influences of the Kusan barbarians, the site is of little interest to laymen. The surrounding landscape is rather unique among semi-desert plains eternally beaten by the sun.
- 6 Ayaz_Kala. A series of three fortresses located in the Sultan-Uiz-Dagh mountains, on the edge of the Kizilkum desert. They were built between the 4th century BC. and the seventh century A.D. Their function was to defend the sedentary peoples of the south from the incursions of the nomads from the north
- Atajan Tura
- Chadra Hauli
- Mausoleum of Sheikh Mukhtar Vali
- Kubla Toza (summer residence of khan Mohammed Rakhim II)
- Koi Krylgan Kala
- 7 Kunya-Urgench (The old Urgench). Ruins of the ancient capital of the kingdom of Corasmia, razed to the ground by Genghis Khan in 1221. Since 2005 the site has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since the ruins are located across the border in the territory of Turkmenistan you can do this excursion not alone but by relying on a local agency, as foreseen by the rather restrictive rules of that country on the entry of foreign visitors to its territory.
