Thursday, 14 May 2009

Khiva

The preserved (if in places overly preserved) inner walled city of Khiva, a former slave market on The Silk Road - view from The Islom Hoja Minaret looking across to The Juma Minaret

Islom Hoja Minaret - the highest in Uzbekistan

Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum and the adjacent Islom Hoja Minaret

Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum - the site of many tombs of Khiva's ruling khans

The 19th century Summer Mosque - part of The Khuna Ark dating from the 12th century - Khiva's rulers own fortress

Guard duty! - a bored local at The West Gate of (Ichon -Qala) the inner walled city

The ambitious Kalta Minor Minaret built to see hundreds of miles across the desert to Bukhara! If completed it would have been the tallest minaret in the world. Building work stopped when the ruling Mohamed Amin Khan dropped dead in 1855 four years after work started - The Khan would surely have disapproved of hawkers selling the usual tourist junk next to his much revered complex

The Kalta Minaret and Mohammed Amin Khan Medressa now sadly used as a hotel

Sunset at the Mohammed Rakhim Khan Medressa

The Islom Hoja Minaret dominates the skyline

The Otabek B & B - notice a photo of the sinister President Karimov on the unit

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