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Destination: Uzbekistan
Last updated: 09 Jan 2017

Ichan-Qala, Khiva, Uzbekistan



Ichan-Qala (literally 'internal fortress') forms the inner city of Khiva within the limits of which Khiva was in 16th - 17th centuries. Ichan-Qala is surrounded by the strong clay wall over 2,200 m long and 7-8 m high. The wall was fortified with semicircular towers. An arrow-shaped gallery with embrasures went along the top of the wall. Defence walls of Ichan-Qala protected Khiva till Nadir-shah's invasion in the middle of 18th century whin Iranian troops took Khiva and partly destroyed the fortification system. Khiva was developed under the Qungrad dynasty. By the 20th century its area had been fifteen times as much as Ichan-Qala. Ichan-Qala, as the historical center of Khiva was entered in UNESCO's list of World Heritage.

Inner Fortress, Ichan Kala
Inner Fortress, Ichan Kala


There are more than sixty architectural monuments: palaces, mosques, madrasah, minarets and mausoleums there. Kunya-Ark fortress was built in the 17th century in Ichan-Qala for khan's administration. Each of Ichan-Qala's four walls has own gates (darvaza). The western gates - Ata-darvaza are close to Kunya-Ark, the northern - Bahcha-darvaza are on the way to Urgench, the eastern - Palvan-darvaza lead to Hazarasp and the Amu-Darya River and the southern - Tash-darvaza to the Qarakum Desert. Ata-darvaza were destroyed in 1920 and restored in the 1970s.
Ak Mosque
Anush Khah's Bathhouses
Chadra Hauli
Complex of Seyid-Biy and Palvan-Kari Minaret
Djuma Mosque
Hazarasp
Islam Khodja Ensemble
Kunya-Ark of Kurinysh-Khan
Madrasah of Arab-Khan and Muhammad-Amin-Inak
Madrasah of Khurdjum and Allakuli-Khan
Madrasah of Kutlug-Murad-Inak and Abdullah-Khan
Madrasah of Matniyaz Divan-Beghi
Madrasah of Muhammad Rahim Khan
Mausoleum of Seyid Ala Ad-Din
Minaret of Djuma Mosque
Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasah and Kalta-Minor
Necropolis of Khiva Khans
Old City
Pahlavan Mahmud Necropolis
Tash Hauli Harem
Tash Hauli Palace