Khiva city-museum in the open

Khiva - city-museum in the open

Khiva - city-museum, like Pompeya and Gerkulanum, but unlike those places it is alive city. As many Eastern cities, Khiva was born "on the water" - in the lower reaches of the Amudarya river and grew up on the irrigated lands of Khorezm oasis.
The written sources confirm the considerable age of Khiva. The historical information on Khorezm is given in "Avesta". The "father of history" Herodotus made a mention of Khorezm and the Khorezmian people. Beruni wrote about the ancient agriculture of Khorezm. Archaeological excavations also prove the age of Khiva to be 2500 years old. All these facts have enabled UNESCO to proclaim Khiva a city-reserve, and its inner part Ichan-Kala has been recognized as a historical monument of the world significance.

1. 
   Ata-Darvaza (1842-1975)
   

The main gate of Ichan-Kala located in the western part of the city. Inside there were 43 stalls and a covered bazaar - Chorsu. Also inside there were tax collectors' rooms ("Badzhkhana"), money exchange rooms ("sar-rafkhana"). As being beyond repair the gate was demolished in 1920 and restored to their original look only in 1975. On the right is Muhammad Aminkhan's madrasah, on the left - Kunya Ark (Old fortress). Size: height -10m, width - 4m.

2. 
   Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah (1855)
   

The Madrasah is located in the western part of Ichan-Kala. Muhammad Amin-Khan Madrasah is the largest two-storey madrasah not only in Khiva but also in comparison to other buildings in the Middle Asia. In addition to being an important spiritual school was possessing substantial vaquf property and income, it also housed the registry office of the Highest Muslim Court. The architecture of the Madrasah is quite remarkable: here, for the first time in Khiva, comfortable two-room residential hujras were built on the ground floor, as well as loggias in hijras facing the outer facades on the first floor. The madrasah facades are decorated with glazed tiles. Presently it houses a hotel, tourist agency, exchange office, air ticket office and cafe.

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