Khiva

General view of Matniyaz Divan-begi madrasah (right) 1871, Kalta Minor (centre) 1855, and Ota Darvoza (Father Gate) (left), Khiva, Uzbekistan, pictured on July 5, 2010, at sunset. Khiva's old city, Ichan Kala, is surrounded by 2.2 kilometres of crenellated and bastioned city walls. Some sections may be 5th century, but the strongest sections were built 1686-88 by Arang Khan. The main gate today is the restored western Ota Darvoza (Father Gate). Commissioned by Muhammad Niyaz the rectangular, Madrasah has a traditional main facade, its high portal, decorated with majolica, having a central pentahedral niche and corner guldastas which are geometrically patterned in blue, white and green, with green brick domes. The Kalta Minor or Short Minaret was commissioned by Mohammed Amin Khan in 1852 to stand 70 m. high, but was abandoned when he died in 1855, and remains only 26 m. high. Khiva, ancient and remote, is the most intact Silk Road city. Ichan Kala, its old town, was the first site in Uzbekistan to become a World Heritage Site(1991). Picture by Manuel Cohen

Picture No

13425400

Media ID

45092860

Size

4920px x 3270px (5.5MB)

Credit

Manuel Cohen / Mary Evans

Source

Photograph by Manuel Cohen