Some cities live in the present. Others seem frozen in time — and that is no flaw, but a rare gift. Khiva is exactly that kind of city. It was once a major cultural, religious and trading centre of Khorezm, with a history stretching back to antiquity. Archaeological excavations have revealed layers dating to the 3rd century BCE and earlier.
The heart of the city is the Itchan Kala fortress. This ancient citadel covers 26 hectares, sealed off from the outside world by massive walls 10 metres high and lined with defensive towers. Inside stand nearly 60 monuments — mosques, minarets, madrasas, palaces and mausoleums — all of them inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Almost every corner of the fortress breathes history.
The city reached its greatest heights between the 16th and 19th centuries, as the capital of the Khanate of Khiva. Narrow lanes, clay walls, carved wooden columns, the scent of spices drifting from the bazaar — Khiva doesn't imitate the past, it lives in it. The best time to walk its streets is sunset, when the ancient walls turn gold.
