Dedicated to the memory of our mentor Saburdzhana Yusupov, who with his interesting stories and tales taught us to love the motherland, native nature, our favorite city Khiva

Khivian Historical Open-Air State Museum
"Ichan-Qala"
Khorezm Mamun Academy
Maksudbek Abdurasulov


Khiva - the city of legends

Khiva 2008

Dedicated to the memory of our mentor Saburdzhana Yusupov, who, with his interesting stories and tales, taught us to love the motherland, native nature, our favorite city Khiva.

Preface

In Special Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated January 3, 1996, it was planned to spend the celebration of 2500 anniversary of the two ancient cities of our country - Bukhara and Khiva in 1997. The contribution made by these two great cities to civilization of world culture was highlighted at the UNESCO General Conference, held in 1995 in Paris. According to UNESCO Director General Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Khiva is the pearl of the world's cities.

Khiva, which is a contemporary of such globally well-known cities as Athens, Cairo, Rome, was a hundredth city adopted in the account number of cities of the world heritage. It is a blessed land that gave the world such great people as Al-Khwarizmi, Najmeddin Kubra, Pakhlavan Makhmoud, Abulgazi Bahadurhan, Munis, Agekhi Muhammad Rakhimkhan II (Feruz), Bayani and others.
The true story of the city of Khiva, described by our ancestors as found in the depths of eternity - in the early centuries of the last millennium BC. Since the city was founded exactly during this period. According to legend, when the Deluge, that occurred at the will of the Almighty to some extent slowed down and the islands of land began to appear on earth, the ship of the prophet Noah floated over Khorezm oasis (left under water). Then the son of the prophet Noah - Shem with the permission of his father landed and stopped here to spend the night. In his dream, he saw thousands torches burning around him. When early in the morning he asked his father's interpretation of his dream, his father told him that this place is sacred, and ordered him to circle the place where he was staying for the night with a fortress wall, and to build houses for the population inside the walls. The son immediately fulfilled the order of his father and built such a beautiful city, which is described only in paradise. Due to the fact that the city was located on the great caravan routes, often there were merchants. Arriving in the city and sipping life-giving water from a deep well, the travelers in delight from pleasure shouted " Hei-wakh". Interpreting this exclamation in different way, local population began to call the city "Hei-wakh," "Haiva", "Hivakh."
Of course, this is only a legend, which incorporated the distant past of our ancestors. But, as a result of studies conducted by the Karakalpak branch of the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan named Yahya Gulyamova, there was found much evidence supporting the proximity of this story to truth.
Khiva is city with a versatile and rich history. There are many more unread pages. Our President Islam Karimov in his historic speech at the ceremony, dedicated to 2500 anniversary of the city of Khiva, on 20 October 1997, identified a number of scientific issues (concerning the development of the city). Among them, an in-depth analysis of the contribution of the city of Khiva to the world civilization, foundations of the first foundations of Uzbek statehood in Khorezm, the emergence in the province of religion of Zoroastrianism - one of the established religions of the world and its holy book "Avesta", the formation of Mamun Academy, which is one of the first academies in the history of mankind and other issues, which are now fully implemented in life.
In the period of independence and publicity, the detailed study of the history of urban development in the fullness of history, especially from the beginning of their origin to the present day, was the actual concern, as well as a good beginning. Prepared for publication by academic staff of the Khiva State Museum-Reserve "Ichan-Kala" Dilmurad Babajanov and Maksudbekom Abdurasulova, this study is one of the first experiments in this direction. It is designed as a practical guide for tourists coming to our city and going on the tour of the historical and architectural monuments of the city on the tour route.