Ichan-Kala – the historical inner city of Khiva in Uzbekistan surrounded by powerful walls, which became the first monument of the World Heritage in Central Asia.The fortifications and palaces, mosques and madrassas, mausoleums and minarets, caravan-sarai and baths, which were erected over the centuries (the most ancient architectural monuments date back to the 14th century), turned Ichan-Kala into a unique city-monument. The official status of the Old Khiva City Reserve was in 1968.
In Khiva, there was a traditional division of the city into two separate parts:
- The inner city (citadel, shahristan) – Ichan-Kala (literally: the inner defensive circle);
- External city (rabad) – Dishan-Kala (outer defensive circle).
The walls of Ichan-Kala: 8-10 meters high, 5-6 meters thick and 6250 meters long along the outer perimeter.
The defensive shafts of the outer and inner “circles” were made of adobe. Every 30 meters in the walls of Ichan-Kala built round defensive towers, protruding from the walls. In the upper part of the walls there are jagged banisters with narrow embrasures for firing at the enemy during the siege.
In the system of defensive fortifications there were ditches filled with water; even now it is noticeable on the relief in the southern part and in the north and west asphalt closed ancient moats.
The city gates were also part of the defense system. The example of the surviving gate shows that they have “shock” towers located on both sides of the arched passage, and above the gate there are also viewing galleries. The passage behind the arches of the gate towards the city was covered with an arched roof (Koy-Darvaza) or, if the corridor is very long, with several domes.
Juma Mosque (Juma masjid) is a Friday mosque in the fortress of Ichan-Kala. According to the data of the Arab geographer Mukaddasiy, the Juma Mosque dates back to the 10th century. According to the historian Munis at the end of the XVIII century the mosque was rebuilt for money donated by Khan AbdurahmanMehtar. Juma is unique in its structure – it does not have portals, domes, galleries and courtyards. The mosque has access from three sides.
The ceiling of the large hall rests on 213 wooden columns. The oldest of these columns could have been taken from the medieval capital of Khorezm – the city of Kyta. Four columns with inscriptions in the handwriting of the Nash are of the same type as the pillars of the Bagbanly mosque. Twenty-one columns belong to the X-XII centuries. And has Arabic inscriptions with Kufi handwriting. Columns with a floral-floral pattern of the Khiva type refer to the XVIII-XIX centuries. In the ceiling there are small openings for light and ventilation. The southern wall has stalactite niches, and on the right there is a marble tablet with the indication of profits and estates. Ahead of the north-western corner of the mosque is the QaziKalyanMadrassah, where formerly they studied various sciences. Of particular interest are doors and columns, with carvings carving, which were made in 1316, 1517, 1788 and 1789.
Kunya Ark (means “old fortress”) – citadel; is located in the inner city of KhivaIchan-Kala in modern Uzbekistan. Before the overthrow of KhivaKhanabolshevik in 1920, Kunya Ark served as one of the khan’s residences. The present Kunya Ark complex was restored in the beginning of the XIX century.
The first building – kurunishkhona was built in 1686-1688 by Arang Khan and destroyed in the middle of the XVIII century, during the invasion of the Iranians. The modern building was erected in 1804-1806 by Eltuzar Khan. Ivan Khurinishkhony was covered with majolica during the reign of AllakuliKhan. Kurinishkhon consists of several rooms: an open courtyard, aivan, a throne room and side rooms in the western part of the courtyard (treasury of the khan, room for storing manuscripts, rest rooms). In the middle of the courtyard there is a round elevation, where there was a yurt, in which the khan received ambassadors of nomadic neighbors. The throne of the khan stood at the south wall of the throne room; now this throne is in the museum of Moscow. It was made of wood and covered with silver plates with a thin carved ornament made in 1816 by Khiva master Muhammad.
Madrasah of Muhammad Amin-khan Located in the western part of Ichan-kala, adjoins the minaret of Kalta-Minor. The facade of the largest madrasah in Central Asia is decorated with an ornament made of glazed brick. Here, for the first time in Khiva were built two-story residential hujras (two-room on the first floor and with loggias facing the facade side of the building – on the second). In addition to the spiritual school designed for 260 students, the building housed the office of the Supreme Muslim Court. Currently, there are a hotel, a cafe and other organizations.
ChodraHovley is located 11 km east of Khiva along the Yangiarik road. The building with a unique form was built in 1871 by Mohammed Rahim Khan as a summer residence.
The four-story building, about 30 meters high, looks like a tower.
Its design is quite unusual. It has a relatively small base of 16mx8m. In the basement there are two storerooms and stables. The first and second floor was used as a living space.
Kalta-Minar (Kalta Minor) is a minaret in Khiva, located in the citadel of Ichan-Kala. It is located to the right of the madrasah of Muhammad Amin Khan, and is sometimes considered a part of it.
The name KaltaMinar is translated from the Uzbek language as a short minaret.
Kalta-Minar was conceived by the khan of KhivaKhiva Muhammad Amin Khan as the largest and highest in the Muslim world. According to his plan, the height of the minaret should be 70-80 meters, with a sharply decreasing diameter with a height that would make the minaret more durable. The diameter of its base is 14.2 meters.
Construction began in 1852, and in 1855, when the height of the minaret reached 29 meters, the construction was unexpectedly discontinued. According to Khiva historian and writer Aghakhi, the construction was not completed due to the death in 1855 of the initiator of construction – Muhammad Amin-khan, who died during the battle near Serakhs.
In 1996-1997, as part of a large-scale campaign to reconstruct the historical architectural monuments of Uzbekistan, and on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the city of Khiva, the minaret was thoroughly restored. During the restoration, in particular, unique patterns and inscriptions were restored.
Kalta-Minar is known precisely because of its incompleteness, as well as unique decor. It is the only minaret completely covered with glazed tiles and majolica. The tiles are dominated by dark green, blue and white colors, and some patterns are turquoise. On the outer walls of the minaret there are inscriptions by letter Nastalik, which is now used only for the Persian language.
Tash-Hauli is a palace complex in Khiva (Uzbekistan), the main palace of Khiva khans.
The palace is located in the eastern part of Khiva was built by Allakuli Khan. Construction of the palace took about 8 years, from 1830 to 1838 years.
The first was built a residential quarter of the harem, then mehmonhona – a place for official receptions, and the last – the Arzkhona, the courtroom.
Munis wrote that the best architects of that time were planted because they refused to build a palace in two years. Usto Kalandaru Khivaga needed for this 8 years.
In the southern part of the courtyard of the harem there were built small aivans, four of which were intended for the wives of the khan (according to the Shari’ah the man could have no more than four wives), the fifth aivan, richly decorated served as a living room for the khan. Each aivan has a dwelling for servants. The harem is equipped in accordance with the Khorezm tradition of decorating the female half (Ichankhuli). Some details of the defensive fortress are present in the design of the palace, which corresponds to the secluded way of life of the inhabitants of the harem. After the harem Mehmonhon was built (ishrathauli). A square courtyard with a circular elevation for a yurt is completely built up with rooms and aivans. Southern aivan served for the ceremonies and receptions of messengers. IvanaMehmonhons, decorated with majolica with a light painted ceiling and small towers on each side, are similar in design to the theater and full of solemnity. Arzkhona (court hall) is located in the south-western part of Tash-Hauli. It is twice as big as mehmonhon. As well as mehmonhon, the Arzkhon is decorated with majolica. The work was done by the famous master Abdullah, nicknamed Genius. This master decorated all the courts of Tash-Hauly.
Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Mahmud – architectural complex in Khiva (Uzbekistan), one of the best works of Khiva architecture of the middle of the XIX century, executed in the traditions of Khorezm architecture of the Dothymour time.
Pakhlavan Mahmud, who lived in the XIII century, was a local poet from simple artisans, famous also for the heroic strength of an invincible fighter and the ability to heal people. His grave was in the cemetery behind the Juma Mosque. The local oral tradition contains a description of many details related to the life and deeds of Pakhlavan Mahmud. Since ancient times, he is revered here as a feast, that is, the patron saint of the city.
In the XVII century, the entrance portal to the mausoleum was built on the south side.
In 1719, Shergazi-khan, building a new madrassah to the south of the cemetery, focused it on the Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Mahmud.
In 1810, after a successful trip to Kungrad, Muhammad Rahim Khan I decided to radically change the ensemble. Later, the construction stretched to the east and partly to the south of the original mausoleum.
The members of the khan’s family were buried in the family crypt attached to the mausoleum.
The marble tombstones of Abulgazi Khan (1663) and Anush Khan (1681) were transferred to a new building and were erected in the wake of the funeral niche of Muhammad Rahim Khan.
In 1913, in the courtyard in front of the mausoleum, a two-story building was built. Burial vaults of the mother and sons of Isfandiyar Khan, as well as the burial place of Isfandiyar himself, are located in the rooms of this building.
According to the accepted version, Asfandiyar, died outside Ichan-Kala, in the palace of Nurillaboy, and was not buried in the place prepared for him.
His son TemurGazi, who was poisoned, was also buried not in here, but in the mausoleum of Said MahiriJahan, next to his grandfather.
The Minaret of Islam Hoxha (Islomxo’jaminorasi) is a minaret in Khiva, located in the center of the Ichan-Kala stronghold, part of the Islam Khoja complex, together with the Madrasah of the same name. It is the tallest structure of the old Khiva, its height is 44.6 meters, and with this indicator is the second-tallest minaret in Uzbekistan and Central Asia (in the first place the Kalyan minaret in Bukhara, with a height of 46.5 meters).
The construction of the minaret and Islamic-Khoja madrasah was started in 1908, on the initiative of the father-in-law and the chief vizier of the ruler of Khiva Khanate, Asfandiyar Khan, IslamKhoja. The construction of the minaret and madrasah was attended by the well-known architect KhudoiberganHadji, as well as skilfulNakkashi (creators of patterns) EshmuhammadKhudoiberdiyev and BoltaVoisov. The construction of both facilities was completed by 1910.
The diameter at the base of the minaret is 9.5 meters. Inside the column there is a brick spiral staircase that leads to the rotunda platform – a lantern resting on the protruding rows of a masonry decorated in the form of a magnificent stalactite cornice – a sharafa [1]. At one time, the minaret performed several functions. It was simultaneously an observation tower, also had a religious function, in particular it was used for azan (calling Muslims for prayer) to the nearest mosque. It was also used to summon the population to the nearest square for reading decrees of rulers and other occasions.
