UNESCO World Heritage Site of Itchan Kala

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Mahkam Saparboyev

Level 3 Local Expert

Great

Toxirjon Maxmudov

Level 5 Local Expert

Xorosho

Kuanish Abdujalilov

Level 2 Local Expert

Nice place

Юрий Дембовский

Level 8 Local Expert

Nothing to say but it was Ok

Машхур Тажиахмедов

Level 2 Local Expert

Very good

Александр Владимиров

Level 30 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is a medieval town with more than 400 buildings. And this whole city has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is believed that Ichan-Kala was founded in 1598 - it was then that the course of the Amu Darya changed (this happens to it) and it is from this date that the rise of Khiva is believed to begin. The city is built up quite densely, but thanks to this you can fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Khiva. The monuments of amazing beauty are adjacent to simple houses, not only tourists walk along the streets, but obviously locals. An interesting feature of Ichan-Kala is that the city still lives and exists. People live here - yes, it's just amazing. Of course, going to Khiva, you will, of course, study the main monuments that you need to visit. Or a guide will tell you (if you like to take a guide). However, I would advise you to look at Ichan-Kala as a whole, as a single, indivisible object. There is a place to eat and buy souvenirs in the city; of course, there is something to see. -) From the point of view of infrastructure, everything is very good. A magnificent city, full of immersive atmosphere. If you see Khiva, you will never forget. And for us, travelers, Khiva is, first of all, Ichan-Kala, the Old City.

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Demon Hearts

Level 19 Local Expert

Incredibly fascinating views of Ichan-Kala. An interesting story with equally fascinating architecture. I wanted to look through every corner, absorb all the information. There are a couple of markets and shops, museums, hotels and cafes on the territory. Locals and guides will be happy to tell you fascinating stories and events on the territory of Ichan-Kala. Wedding traditions are especially interesting. There are a lot of people on holidays, but everyone crowded around the territory so that no one bothered anyone. You can get lost in the streets, but the locals will tell you how to get to the main square, and there you can see where to go. We had dinner at the Terrace restaurant. Incredible views of the Khiva sunset with beautiful shimmers of the sun. You can see the desert, camels at the entrance. The dishes are very tasty, at reasonable prices. The portions are large The interior of the restaurant is unusual, I wanted to try this design. And the architecture of Ichan-Kala… It cannot be described in words You can safely take the photos for yourself. If you are displaying it somewhere on the Internet, please mark wilddevilhs. These photos were taken and processed by me personally

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Сергей Романченко

Level 22 Local Expert

We came with an excursion tour of Uzbekistan and were stunned by the scale. It's like being on the set of an oriental tale about Aladdin or Shaherizade. Five o'clock in the morning and three in the evening, and it feels like not everyone has been bypassed. Really a delight. A must-visit. You can eat and shop on the premises. Local weddings are taking place. The color is indescribable and the photo zone is excellent.

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vaggnat

Level 12 Local Expert

The inner city of Khiva, surrounded by a fortress wall. Inside, there is a complex network of small streets and dead ends typical of old eastern cities. It's a whole city within a city, where the locals live. There are many souvenir shops, hotels, hostels, cafes, restaurants inside. There are also many historical buildings: mosques, madrassas, minarets, wells, palaces. There are separate reviews about each one. We have settled inside the fortress, and we advise you to do so. We were lucky, during our stay inside the fortress they were shooting a feature film, it was interesting to watch this process too.

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Одил Алиходжаев

Level 15 Local Expert

We can say that this is the main attraction of Khiva. There is a sense of history at every step, on every street. It is advisable to go with a guide, otherwise you will not feel this story, but just admire the architecture.

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Дмитрий | ТГ: @tastes_and_colors

Level 29 Local Expert

I came to Khiva because of the Ichan-Kala fortress (meaning "Inner Fortress" or "Inner City"). During the three-hour tour, we visited only a third of all the sights of Ichan-Kala. A bit of historical background: This is not just a separate building, but a huge fortified open-air museum city surrounded by powerful fortress walls. Key details about Ichan-Kala: Historically, Khiva was divided into two parts: - Ichan-Kala is the inner citadel where the nobility lived, palaces, mosques, madrasahs and baths were located. - Dishan-Kala (outer city) - where artisans and merchants lived. Its walls were built later.

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Танечка

Level 12 Local Expert

I recommend you to visit. The place is very beautiful, and if you plunge into history in advance, it will be much more interesting for you. People are hospitable. There will be coffee along the way, I recommend you try ice cream.

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Nezdu - Uzbekistan | Узбекистан

Level 9 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is the heart of Khiva and an open—air museum Ichan-Kala is a unique historical complex located in the center of Khiva and surrounded by powerful fortress walls. This "city within a city" became the first object of Uzbekistan included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Narrow streets, minarets and madrasas take visitors back several centuries, allowing them to feel the spirit of the Medieval East. 🏰 One of the main attractions of Ichan-Kala is the Kalta Minor minaret, known for its unusual shape and bright turquoise cladding. It is also worth visiting the Tash-Khauli Palace, where fine wood carvings and exquisite wall paintings amaze the eye. No less impressive will be a walk through the Kunya Ark fortress, the former residence of the Khiva khans, which offers panoramic views of the entire Ichan-Kala. 🕌 Here you can see craft shops where craftsmen create carpets, ceramics and wood products, preserving the traditions of their ancestors. A walk through Ichan-Kala is a journey through time, where every corner keeps its own history and mystery. 🛤 We will be happy to arrange for you a trip to Khiva and an excursion to Ichan-Kala. Comfortable transportation, the services of a qualified tour guide and fascinating stories will make your trip informative and unforgettable! 🚐📚 ------------------------- Ichan-Kala is the heart of Khiva and an open—air museum Ichan-Kala is a unique historical complex located in the center of Khiva and surrounded by powerful fortress walls. This "city within a city" became the first object of Uzbekistan included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Narrow streets, minarets and madrasas take visitors back several centuries, allowing them to feel the spirit of the Medieval East. 🏰 One of the main attractions of Ichan-Kala is the Kalta Minor minaret, known for its unusual shape and bright turquoise cladding. It is also worth visiting the Tash-Khauli Palace, where fine wood carvings and exquisite wall paintings amaze the eye. No less impressive will be a walk through the Kunya Ark fortress, the former residence of the Khiva khans, which offers panoramic views of the entire Ichan-Kala. 🕌 Here you can see craft shops where craftsmen create carpets, ceramics and wood products, preserving the traditions of their ancestors. A walk through Ichan-Kala is a journey through time, where every corner keeps its own history and mystery. 🛤 We will be happy to arrange for you a trip to Khiva and an excursion to Ichan-Kala. Comfortable transportation, the services of a qualified tour guide and fascinating stories will make your trip informative and unforgettable! 🚐📚

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Александр Титов

Level 22 Local Expert

An interesting old town, however, as some people write here, the "feeling of Khorezm" cannot be here. Zoroastrianism has been eradicated in this area for a long time. The feeling of an old eastern Muslim city, yes. It's just that since the days of Khorezm and Timur, according to the guide, there is only a fortress wall. That's all. All buildings: houses, madrassas, minarets, mosques, palace - XVIII - XIX centuries. So atmospheric, but not very vintage. The locals consider themselves Khorezmians, not Uzbeks, and dislike Timur, who once again conquered them. They are distinguished by light eyes and not very dark skin. Entrance to the fortress is free, and a single ticket allows you to visit the museums inside.

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Хельга

Level 10 Local Expert

You find yourself in a fairy tale, you can wander and admire the old town forever! For admission, you need to buy a ticket, which includes the main attractions, and there is something that is paid separately. If you just wander around the city, you don't have to buy a ticket, and you don't have to go through the central gate. But I recommend everything to visit, and if you go on a guided tour where they tell you everything, then it's incredibly interesting, and you can spend the whole day! The entrance to the highest minaret in Khorezm, the entrance to the mausoleums, where a separate fee and a walk along the walls left an indelible impression. There are a lot of people on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, just like in the subway. They speak English and Russian very very rarely. Google Translator helps. Khiva is more difficult to visit because of the remoteness, it was my first city and I was impressed.

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Галина Герман

Level 14 Local Expert

It's very beautiful day and night. You walk like in a fairy tale. You need to walk by yourself and with a guide who will tell you about the most important places. Although it was expensive, we went to the tightrope walkers, in the carpet store (go ahead and to the right of the main entrance) they gave us a veil to try on. Everyone here loves sweets from Russia, especially Alyonka

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Азизбек Дадаев

Level 9 Local Expert

A must-visit! Ancient architecture, fortifications and palaces, mosques and madrassas, mausoleums and minarets, caravanserais and baths; a unique monument city with hotels inside the territory

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Марина Старикова

Level 14 Local Expert

The old town is located inside the fortress walls. Not a single modern building, everything is historical. You get to the time of the Khorezm Khanate. There are a lot of workshops, souvenir shops, a huge selection of souvenirs made in Uzbekistan (shawls, scarves, bathrobes, dresses, magnets, postcards, mystery boxes, canes, book stands, skullcaps, sweets, ceramic tableware and much more. Not made in China, but local craftsmen. And the plan to eat is a teahouse on a teahouse, a restaurant on a restaurant, a large selection, reasonable prices. A museum on a museum, a lot of madrassas that you can go to, the Juma mosque is a separate story (but either read about it beforehand, or take a guide to understand where you got to at all), a stunningly interesting silk museum opened a month ago (there are also workshops on creating and dyeing silk, weaving carpet, tea party and sooooo interesting excursion). There are many hotels right in the center, so you don't even have to go outside the fortress wall. In the evening, the lights turn on and the city becomes absolutely magical.

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Осиё Ю

Level 5 Local Expert

You should visit this place at least once. Through Silkavia, you can buy cheap plane tickets, and after 2 hours you can enjoy the sights of the ancient city. Through booking, you can choose a hotel in the center of Ichan Kala, the prices are reasonable. Be sure to use the services of a guide, then it will be more informative and interesting. Yandex.Taxi in the city is very cheap, it was used often. The people are very hospitable and friendly.

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Махмуд Ахмедович

Level 5 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is a historical inner city of Khiva, surrounded by powerful fortress walls. It is the best preserved medieval urban ensemble in Central Asia, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. It is a unique "open-air museum" where outstanding architectural monuments such as palaces, mosques, madrassas and minarets are compactly located, and people still live there.

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Shirin Abdirakhmanova

Level 9 Local Expert

The business card of Khiva. Ichan-kala fortress is very large. Entrance is paid. There are services of a guide. There are many souvenir shops. You can pay by transfer via a bank application. There is a guesthouse inside the fortress.

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ВВ

Level 30 Local Expert

An ancient fortress. There are more "young" minarets. Viewing platforms with a paid entrance. Various festivals are held on the large square. There are many beautiful places, hotels, food outlets and too much trade. Currency exchange is either in the bank or outside the fortress wall.

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Ольга Николаевна

Level 16 Local Expert

The historical sites are well preserved, in general it is a fortress city, but it is still inhabited by residents of the city, it is very atmospheric. We rented a room in a family hotel right inside Ichan - Kala, and got a lot of pleasant impressions. There are places to relax and eat, many cafes, restaurants, and of course museums at every turn, and anyway it's one continuous museum, and we just live in it, it's very cool. 🔥

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Максим Аскеров

Level 19 Local Expert

Well, what can you say about this fortress. This place is definitely worth a visit. If you have two extra days, then spend them on coming to this city. The journey from Bukhara to Khiva takes about 6 hours. 300 km of excellent highway, much better than from Tashkent to Samarkand and Bukhara. About the fortress itself. It's a super authentic place. You can shoot Aladdin in it right now, almost without preparation. For the first time during the entire trip, the children were practically squealing with joy. If he had given free rein to his eldest son, he would have jumped through all the roofs. We were lucky, it rained in the evening and the city became fresher. We did not take entrance tickets to all the interior buildings. The total entrance fee is 250 t. Sum. But the tower and the walls are not included in this money. After that, we just bought a ticket to climb the tower and the wall. Both are required visits. The wall closes at 8. Therefore, it is better not to postpone for the evening. And the wall is divided into two parts. And the entrances are one at a time, so in fact you have to go through each half twice, back and forth and in the other direction Tula here. Well, the second half is the same)). Be sure to walk around the fortress after 11 p.m., there are almost no tourists, and the merchants are also almost all closed. Pure buzz.

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Анжелика Мальцева

Level 12 Local Expert

A very interesting place with many cultural monuments of antiquity. The streets of Ichkan-Kala immerse you in the fairy tale of the east.

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сергей макеев

Level 5 Local Expert

I advise you to visit! A beautiful historical building in the form of a fortress, there are many museums inside, there are observation decks overlooking the city, there is a national cafe and many shopping malls.

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Денис Голубинский

Level 9 Local Expert

I recommend you to visit. What surprised me the most was that people live inside the fortress. There are streets with house numbers. It is essentially a city within a city. Inside the fortress itself there are hotels and guest houses where you can stay overnight. The ticket costs 100,000 soums, it opens access to all museums, but you will have to pay an additional 15,000 soums for climbing the minaret (whose height is 56 m). Inside there are also cafes where you can eat, choyhon, souvenir shops.

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DurDom

Level 29 Local Expert

Ticket office next to the entrance - they sell access to all museums for 2 days. There are also groups of guides nearby. They charge a lot, but if the company is big, it turns out to be quite affordable. A stunning place that immerses you in the era of the medieval city. I also recommend walking around the city at night.

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Сергей

Level 10 Local Expert

The fortress has been well preserved to this day. There are restaurants, museums, a mosque and the mausoleum of Pakhlovan Mahmud on the territory of Ichan-Kala (for a fee, but it's worth seeing such beauty).

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Евдокия Дроздецкая

Level 26 Local Expert

Khiva surprised me) According to our feelings, the place has preserved its ancient identity as much as possible. Unlike, say, the old city of Bukhara, which is becoming more and more a Grand Bazaar every year. The evening Khiva is especially good.If you get to a local wedding, it's a separate adventure.By the way, souvenirs are much cheaper here than in Bukhara or Samarkand. Change the money from Abdullah, the exchange rate is quite decent, everyone knows him in the shopping malls) He will arrive by bike in a maximum of 10 minutes.

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Жахонгирбек Ходжаев

Level 7 Local Expert

The view is very beautiful, the architecture is just super, the sightseeing tours are very interesting, especially with the guide Sarvinoz. The ticket prices are reasonable. There's an Ivon restaurant inside that's just gorgeous

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Кирилл Меренков

Level 10 Local Expert

It's an amazing place. It is best to put 1.5 days on excursions. You can manage it in a day, but you will have to gain strength because there are many objects and they are all interesting. You can enter the fortress itself for free through a checkpoint with car entrances (there are 2 of 4 of them). If you want to go inside each museum, you need to purchase a single ticket for 200 thousand sums from the outside. (~1,500 rubles. for April 2024). Without a guide and an organized tour, it may not be so interesting and monotonous. It is better to take a guide, of course. In the evening, beautiful illumination of ancient architecture. The restaurants inside the fortress are expensive and not all of them are of good quality. I do not recommend visiting the Terrace restaurants (there are two of them).

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Елена Сафронова

Level 7 Local Expert

A real Oriental city without a touch of modern buildings. You immerse yourself completely in the atmosphere of the ancient khanate with its palaces, fortresses, mosques and madrassas.

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Владимир

Level 21 Local Expert

A lot of impressions, minarets of madrassas, a unique oriental market, if a good guide, you will get maximum information on what you see! Make the most of your free time, do not spare your legs, walk, take pictures, be impressed, bargain! Don't be fooled by the shops and restaurants from the excursions, you can buy everything there yourself, sometimes much cheaper! Don't have lunch in a group, it's a crush with seating, mistakes in orders from a bunch of people and a long feed and not always cheap from the words of the course! There are a lot of places to eat, choose for yourself! And most importantly, be polite, you are visiting.....

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Level 13 Local Expert

But this is a real oriental fairy tale. You can walk both during the day and after sunset. The dream is not to rush anywhere, not to try to look into all the museums and explore all the objects that are provided with a shared ticket. I must say that for non-residents, this ticket is very expensive, so tourists try to get around all the sights, and this is not easy to do in 24 hours (the validity period of the general ticket). But, when you're just leisurely walking around

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Марина

Level 12 Local Expert

Ichan Kala is an old city surrounded by powerful walls, the inner city of Khiva in Uzbekistan, which became the first World Heritage Site in Central Asia, dating back more than 2000 years. It is located between the two deserts of Karakum and Kyzylkum. A haven for caravans overcoming their difficult Silk Road. The city from Aladdin's fairy tale with ancient walls that can be climbed, minarets, mosques and madrasas amazes travelers. And the most important feature is that people live in their houses inside the city walls, some of them have a history of several centuries.

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Eugene Ch.

Level 9 Local Expert

You have to go to Khiva for Ichan-Kala and pilaf. There are many attractions, restaurants and hotels on the territory. But we didn't eat pilaf on the territory of the fortress, at Axmad palov. Do not be fooled by a single ticket, because you will still have to take separate tickets to many interesting places.

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Дарья З.

Level 9 Local Expert

A fortress in the center of the city. It's huge, especially on the scale of the city itself. We took an excursion, it was interesting. There are a lot of tourists, especially from Europe. It was April, and the weather was good for long walks.

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Татьяна Соколова

Level 8 Local Expert

It's a fairy tale! You can walk around the fortress for hours. You can walk along the wall. There are many places for snacks and coffee. A single ticket gives you the opportunity to visit a number of museums and sites. The presence of colorful shopping malls additionally immerses you in a bygone era.

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Aleksandra Narin

Level 8 Local Expert

A miracle, a magic. How beautiful the Old City is, a blue flower that bloomed in the desert. Probably one of the most cozy and peaceful places on earth. There are so many interesting things and there is no end to it, thousands of details, patterns, nooks and crannies. I've been to Samarkand, Bukhara, they're also very sunk into my heart, they're superbly beautiful, but Khiva is probably the most atmospheric

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Галина Плохотникова

Level 9 Local Expert

Khiva and the old town of Ichan Kala, this is my special love in Uzbekistan. A small fortress town, 3T inhabitants inside. When you enter the gate, you feel like in an oriental fairy tale about Aladdin. There are a lot of interesting locations, museums, palaces, madrassas. We took a single ticket for 2 days, which allows you to enter interesting places. We also lived inside this fortress, I advise everyone. Go out and take a walk at any time... In the evening, with the backlight, it looks even more interesting and mysterious. There are various cafes, restaurants, with open verandas, where it is pleasant to sit and drink tea or coffee. It's a pity that we only came for a day, from Khiva you can go on various excursions, fake tours, to the old fortress cities, to the desert, to the Aral Sea. I recommend it!

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O. Pavlova

Level 10 Local Expert

Ichan - kala is a must-visit. However, it won't be objective without criticism either. Admission to all museums is 250,000 in the spring of 2025. That's about 1700 rubles per person. At the same time, an internal inspection does not make sense. All madrassas are the same (you can see all the cells in the orient hotel for free), there is nothing remarkable where the madrasas have been turned into museums. Museum exhibitions are not Khiva's strong point yet. By the way, there is an exchange in the same orient hotel, in case of Sunday, when all banks are closed. The exchange rate is slightly worse than in banks. The entrance to the wall, the high minaret, etc. is paid separately. Without a guide, it is almost impossible to understand how one great building differs from another great building. With such a ticket price (despite the fact that all the main attractions are visible from the outside), there should be either a good exposition or an audio guide.

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Aleksey

Level 14 Local Expert

A beautiful place, saturated with traditional local flavor, there is something to see. Tickets are purchased at the entrance of 40 thousand soums (07.10.23) for admission plus museum visits. There are stalls with souvenirs, you can bargain. There are many restaurants, cafes and hotels on the territory.

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Юлия Батуро

Level 15 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is Khiva. The entire ancient architectural ensemble is located inside the fortress wall and occupies about 2.5 sq.km. It is possible to get around from the outside, but it will take a lot of time. Inside, in addition to the attractions, residential private houses have been preserved. It's a whole city with streets, restaurants and shops. There are no social facilities, it's all in a new city. There is no need to choose a hotel inside the fortress, although there are a lot of them there. There are many hotels within walking distance and outside the walls. Restaurants are open mostly until 21:00. And for dinner, you need to book seats everywhere in advance. Otherwise, you really can not eat at all. Make a discount on the service right away, it is long and non-individual. Waiters rush between customers and they are not up to your whims. You will have to wait everywhere for a long time. And you will hear comments that, they say, a large group has come, the kitchen is not coping. So just be patient and everything will be fine. There are shopping malls in every madrasah now. But this does not interfere with the inspection. All souvenirs and national clothes can be bought only in the fortress. There are none in the new city. Two days to Khiva and a trip to the Kyzyl-Kum desert is enough. But if you just want to sit in a cafe on tapchan and spend half a day like this, then take 3 days. Guides pack Ichan-Kala in 1 day usually.

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Olga Orlova

Level 11 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is the old part of the city of Khiva, the center and the historical part included in the UNESCO population list. Inside the walls of the fortress there are both museum objects and many hotels and hostels at reasonable prices, very atmospheric, I recommend definitely staying there, because the prices are not overpriced. There is a single ticket (valid 24h- convenient) for visiting the territory and a ticket with an entrance to the sights and an ascent to the observation deck in the Arch tower (highly recommended). The ascent to the fortress wall, the entrance to 2 mausoleums is paid separately. Of the disadvantages- there are few signatures that is what, so without a guide, not everything is clear. Alternatively, read the description on the Internet in advance). And be sure to come in the evening to see the backlight.

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Марина Черняева

Level 5 Local Expert

The best and most atmospheric place in Uzbekistan. You find yourself in an Oriental fairy tale. I recommend it to everyone, you won't regret it.

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Арина Замараева

Level 18 Local Expert

Ichan-Kala is a complex of mosques, madrassas and residential buildings. The ticket office is located in front of Ota Darvaza. A single ticket to all museums is purchased (except for two mausoleums and climbing the wall - this is separate). The cost is 150 thousand soums per person, which is about 1000 rubles. Valid for 24 hours. This is enough to explore all the museums. A schematic card (not very clear) is issued along with the ticket. Museums are located inside madrassas or other buildings. Some are big, some are smaller. On average, it takes 20-40 minutes to inspect one museum. But in general, it's worth just walking along the streets, moving away from the street with souvenirs, to where locals just live, cats walk, children play, bake bread. Ichan-Kala impresses not so much with its museums as with its atmosphere, sky, shadows, alleys, and unexpected views.

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Мария Клочкова

Level 11 Local Expert

I really liked the city of Khiva and the guide. The city of Khiva stands alone, and is not on the Bukhara-Samarkand-Tashkent route. But it (the city) is interesting for its originality, architecture and fortress. I really liked him. I recommend you to visit.

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Рустам Хамидов

Level 12 Local Expert

A great place to spend your free time. Walk through the streets, see the buildings that are there, everything is beautiful, order a guide to tell you the story

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Леля

Level 16 Local Expert

We remained in love with Ichan-Kala, we were transported to the past, when we entered the shopping malls, I did not immediately understand what kind of strange merchants with a non-tourist assortment- grain, cotton...then there was the filming of the Mosfilm "Aladdin's Magic Lamp". In general, it's atmospheric! We were delighted. We had our first city on the trip, we lived inside a fortress, full immersion! When buying souvenirs, I recommend buying only what you really liked! The prices are higher and the quality of the products is lower than in Bukhara and Samarkand. It was the most expensive city for us.

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UNESCO World Heritage Site of Itchan Kala

452 reviews