Ichan Kala: Khiva's inner city walls

Ichan Kala ("inner fortress") is Khiva's 26-hectare walled old town, contained by 2.2 km of mud-brick walls that rise 6–10 metres above the surrounding plain.

Its state of preservation is unique in Central Asia: - Almost every madrasa, minaret, mosque, and residential caravanserai from the 18th–19th-century Khanate period still stands. - ~60 registered monuments inside the walls, plus another ~250 historic houses. - No modern buildings above two storeys inside the walls, and no cars.

UNESCO inscribed Ichan Kala in 1990 as the first World Heritage site in Central Asia. The core protected zone matches the walled area exactly.

Four gates pierce the walls, one on each side. Most visitors enter through West Gate (Ata Darvaza), which is closest to the modern town.

Best experienced early morning (7–9 am) or one hour before sunset. In summer the mud-brick walls turn a deep honey colour in the last direct light. In winter dawns you may have the entire city to yourself.