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MALKhiva
The capital of the Turkic world
Khiva - The capital of the Turkic world
Khiva is a beautiful oasis city with ancient walls, minarets and unique clay buildings.
Within the framework of the XI session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Baku, Khiva was declared as the Tourism Capital of the Islamic World in 2024!
Khiva is over 2500 years old. If you want to plunge into history and see the true beauty of the ancient East, then welcome to Khiva.
Popular landmarks
The ancient Khiva is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It means that all the attractions are protected by the worldwide organization.
What you can see in Khiva:
✔️Main fortress – Ichan-Kala, Kunya-Ark fortress, Dishan-Kala fortress;
✔️ Ancient mosques and madrassas, minarets, mausoleums – there are more than 100 of them in Khiva;
✔️Palaces and residences of Khiva rulers;
✔️ Ancient caravanserais and baths;
✔️ State Puppet Theater and Avesta Museum.
Video about Khiva
Photo gallery 📸
Climate 🌡
The climate in Khiva is dry and similar to desert weather. Summer is hot, but windy, and in winter the temperature very often drops below 0 °C, so do not forget warm things! You will definitely need them!
Gifts and souvenirs 🛍
In Khiva, as well as in other cities of Uzbekistan, you can buy a wide variety of souvenirs. In addition, several interesting things can be bought only in the Khorezm region. For example, this is a handmade doll. On the territory of Khiva there is a puppet theater, which, according to conservative estimates, is about 2000 years old! Therefore, the manufacture of puppets for performances dates back centuries, but the love of puppet shows has not died out so far. One of the main advantages of the Khorezmians is the hats “Chugurma”, which have been made since the ancient times. It looks quite bulky and heavy, but in fact, it is quite light and comfortable. The hat is made in such a way that it creates a special microclimate and thereby saves from overheating in the summer and protects from cold in the winter. In the ancient times, such hats were very expensive. Their cost was equal to the cost of a camel and therefore only wealthy people could buy them. Now the price for it is much lower and fans of unusual hats definitely like it! On the territory of Khiva, you can purchase a variety of woodcrafts as well. Local artisans create everything from tiny chess pieces to staves and carved doors! Whatever sophisticated taste you have, local artisans will be able to satisfy you.
Сuisine 🍽
The recipes is changing from region to region and if you taste the same dish in different cities, you will be surprised how much the taste varies! Khorezm cuisine is one of the most unusual in Uzbekistan, because the natural conditions are quite difficult there. You can often find one unusual dish... It is called “tukhum-barak”, which literally translates as a boiled egg. What is unusual, you may ask? The finished dish resembles dumplings in shape, and its way of cooking is quite unusual. The dough is filled with raw eggs and very quickly thrown into the boiling water before it drains. It is said that this dish was prepared for the khans before their visits to the harems. In addition, the favorite dish of the local people is fish. It is no exaggeration to say that the fish is prepared incomparably and even if you do not like seafood, you will not be able to resist the local fish. One of the iconic dishes is Shivit Osh or Green Lagman (noodle). Locals use Shivit greens to make noodles green. It is served with katyk (sour milk) and meat in vegetable sauce. Follow the link to read more about Uzbek cuisine.
Photo zones 🙋♂️
An integral part of every trip is photography! In this section, we introduce you the most beautiful places in this city, where you can make the best shots.
P.S. Do not forget that during the visit the religious sights of Uzbekistan, women are advisable to cover the exposed parts of the body (shoulders, back and legs). Such attractions will be marked with ☪✝✡☦
☪️ It is impossible to make a bad photo on the territory of Ichan-Kala fortress. Everything around is literally saturated with the atmosphere of the past and walking along these streets, you feel the spirit of the time. There are certain places where you can get special shots. One of such places is Juma (Friday) Mosque, built in the X century. Its distinctive feature is that it does not have an entrance and domes, the roof of the building is supported by 213 columns of different sizes, shapes and even made in different centuries.
Among the special places, one can also highlight the Kalta-Minor Minaret, which is located near the western gate of Ota-Darvoz. The minaret was supposed to be the highest in Central Asia but could not be completed.
History 🏺
Khiva is one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan, founded 2500 years ago. Also within is Ichan, the only city where the castle is located, a real fortress dating back to the Middle Ages.
According to legend, the city appeared around the Heyvak well, which was dug by the order of Som, the son of Prophet Noah, mentioned in the Bible.
During its long history, Khiva has experienced the rule of various dynasties of Khorezm rulers, but it has always been its capital since ancient times.
Everything seems unusual here – cuisine, people, speech, even architecture. Almost everything is preserved in its original form. The streets are paved with stone. Like chess pieces, minarets, the domes of the madrassas and the mosques can be seen everywhere. Even the modern buildings are inspired by the antiquity.
In 1990, the city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Map 🗺
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