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Uzbekistan

The door in the corner that is opposite the entrance to kurinish-khona leads to the harem built in the second half of the 19th during the rule of Muhammad Rakhim-Khan and to the hill Ak-Sheikh-Bobo with unusual adobe bastion where on the upper deck you can have a beautiful view of Khiva.

On display is an old yurt or hut that the early travelers of the silk road may have used for overnight accommodations.

Intricate ceilings, tile and carvings on the wooden support poles

The deep blue color was obtained by firing the tile at exactly the right temperature with a glaze made from a desert plant.

On the left of the fortress gate there are guarding and storage facilities, stables and repair shops. A long narrow corridor leads inside the citadel. It connects all the yards with the entrances to all the rooms, chambers and halls of the fortress. The first yard was intended for envoys waiting for audiences with the khan. The second one was used for the fortress defending ordnance. The khan’s council gathered in the third yard.

This was classic to see these handmade items for tourism

Kungrat Dynasty leaders bed. Each night a young lady was brought from the harem for his pleasure.

Khiva is debatable the highlight of Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities. The inner town, Ichan-Kala, is surrounded by ancient fortification walls and imposing gates.

The Tashauli Palace and Harem. It took 8 years to built the structure, which never pleased the khan: he wanted this big project to be completed in 2 years’ time. Many master builders lost their heads for this reason. They began the construction with the harem and khan’s chambers; then they built the mekhmonkhona ‘reception hall’ and arzonkhona ‘court’, on the eastern and western sides respectively.

Looking across Khiva from a high point within the city.

Looking across Khiva from a high point within the city. Tash-Khauli Palace built in 1830 - 1838 is an example of Khorezm architectural grandeur of those times. The palace was built by order of Allakuli-Khan.

The old city of Khiva retains more than 50 historic monuments such as mosques, madrassa, bathhouses, mausoleums, harems and an ark, as well as more than 200 houses built during the 18th century.

The khan’s chambers and harem are separated from the official part by a single corridor. The khan’s room is the largest and richest in decoration; the other four rooms were used by the khan’s wives - according to the Koran, a man must not have over four wives. Along the perimeter of the yard runs a two-story structure with rooms for female relatives and concubines.

The section designated for guests and delegations forms a square yard with a round platform for the khan’s guest yurt in the center. Along the yard run terraces and rooms - all splendidly decorated with the traditional white and blue majolica.

Statues depicting a caravan of camels on the old Silk Road

Outside the walls of the city.

Inside the old walled city of Khiva at sunset.

Restaurant we had dinner our last night in Khiva

Melons along the highway for sale. Today we drove for 8 hours with breaks heading to Bukhara our next stop.

This was one of the most unusual items we found on the trip in Uzbekistan. Bull for rent. Stud Bull!

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