Khwarizm (also known as Khwarezm, Khorezm and Chorasmia) is a large region in the western Central Asia. The ancient Khwarizm was conquered by the Arabs in the 8th century, destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century, became a part of the Timurid state in the 14th-15th centuries and separated by the Chingizid khans in the 16th century. The present Khwarizm is divided into two where a part of it belongs to Uzbekistan and another belongs to Turkmenistan.
Among prominent people linked to Khwarizm are Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni. Al-Khwarizmi, the great mathematician for whom the term "algorithm" was named, and Al-Biruni, an outstanding scientist, were born in Khwarizm.
SOURCES:
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khwarezm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Musa_al-Khwarizmi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Rayhan_al-Biruni
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Musa_al-Khwarizmi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Rayhan_al-Biruni
The Ichan Qala
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The Ichan Qala is the historical center of Khiva, a city in current Uzbekistan and one of the centers of the ancient Khwarizm. The Ichan Qala ("Internal Fortress") started to emerge in the 6th century and was at the peak of prosperity in the 17th-19th centuries. Being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient city of Ichan Qala consists of more than fifty architectural monuments including palaces, mosques, madrasahs, minarets and mausoleums.
SOURCES:
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khwarezm
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khwarezm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khiva
The ancient city of Ichan Qala.
The city wall and the watch tower on the western part of Ichan Qala.
The Ata Darvaza, the western gate of Ichan Qala.
Inside of Ichan Qala, as viewed from the Ata Darvaza Gate.
Wearing Khiva traditional headgears.
The main gate of Kunya Ark.
The construction of the Kunya Ark ("Old Fortress") was ordered by a Khiva khan in the 17th century. By the end of the 18th century, the Kunya Ark became "a city within a city" inside the Ichan Qala.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
The Kurinysh Khana ("Reception Area") of Kunya Ark.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010
The tiled wall and decorated ceiling of the Kurinsyh Khana.
The Kurinsyh Khana and the watch tower.
A view of the city wall of Ichan Qala from the top of the fortress.
Another part of the strong clay city wall as viewed from the top of the fortress.
A view of the Madrasah of Muhammad-Rahim-Khan from the top of the fortress.
The Madrasah of Muhammad-Rahim-Khan was built between 1871 to 1876.
SOURCES:
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The stunning minarets in Ichan Qala and the Kurinysh Khana of Kunya Ark, as seen from the top of the fortress.
The watch tower on top of the fortress.
A view of the Kalta Minor from the watch tower.
A partial view of the Muhammad-Amin-Khan Madrasah and the fortress from the watch tower.
The Ak-Sheikh-Bobo Mosque, inside the Kunya Ark.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010
The Kalta Minor ("Short Minaret") @ Guyok Minor ("Green Minaret"), constructed between 1851 to 1855.
SOURCES:
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The beautiful Kalta Minor.
The glazed tiles covering the Kalta Minor.
The Muhammad-Amin-Khan Madrasah, built in 1845-1855.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Inside the Muhammad-Amin-Khan Madrasah.
The Juma Mosque.
The Juma Mosque dates back to the 10th century. However, the present building of the mosque was constructed in the 18th century.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
Inside the Juma Mosque.
The variously dated hand-carved columns of the Juma Mosque.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
The minaret of Juma Mosque.
The Islam-Hoja Madrasah and Minaret, constructed in 1908-1910.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
The Islam-Hoja Madrasah.
The turquoise-domed Mausoleum of Pahlavan Mahmud.
Pahlavan Mahmud is a famous Khiva poet, national hero and spiritual leader who lived from 1247 to 1326.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
An old street inside the Ichan Qala.
The Ak Mosque ("White Mosque"), founded in the middle of the 17th century.
SOURCE: Arapov A., Historical Monuments of Uzbekistan, SMI-ASIA, Tashkent, 2010.
The Qutlugh Murad Inaq Madrasah, constructed in 1806-1812.
SOURCE: Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The Allah Kuli Khan Madrasah, built in 1834-1835.
SOURCE: Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The fortress of the Tash Hauli ("Stone Manor") Palace from far.
SOURCE: Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The Hojash Mahram Madrasah, constructed in 1839.
Presently, the madrasah houses a wood engraving workshop.
SOURCE: Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
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The Making of a Khiva Rehal
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The city wall on the southern part of Ichan Qala.
The Khorezm Ma'mun Academy
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SOURCES:
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=18349&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
http://www.uzbekistan.org/news/archive/410/
http://www.uzbekistan.be/events/09 June 2006/info.html
http://www.ots.uz/en/uzbekistan/uzbekistans-cities/52-khiva
http://anklaff.uz/en/towns/22.html
A richly-engraved four-poster wooden canopy in the wood engraving workshop.
Finely-engraved wooden rehals ("Quran stands") and picture frames being sold in the workshop.
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The Making of a Khiva Rehal
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A Khiva collapsible rehal is carved out of a SINGLE piece of wood.
STEP 1: Rough outlines are marked on the piece of solid wood that has been cut to a certain length, width and thickness.
STEP 2: Ridges are made in the wood.
STEP 3: Holes are cut in the wood and engraving designs are drawn on the wood.
STEP 4: More holes are cut in the wood to produce flaps of the rehal that are naturally joined together without the use of any nail or joining agent. The rehal is then engraved.
STEP 5: Finally, the engraved rehal is polished. The collapsible rehal could be folded flat for keeping or opened to function as a Quran stand.
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The Yaqubbay Hoja Madrasah, built in 1873.
Currently, the madrasah becomes a suzani center.
SOURCE: Madaminov M. et al., Khiva Guidebook, RUZ Co. Publishers, Moscow, 2001.
The unique fabric information board of the suzani center.
The tools used in making suzanis, inside the suzani center.
Natural substances such as madder root, walnut husk, onion skin and pomegranate are used in producing natural dyes (colors).
The dyed silk threads are left to dry before they are woven into a suzani.
A striking Khiva suzani being displayed in a restaurant inside the Ichan Qala.
More Khiva traditional fabric products being displayed in the restaurant.
The Palvan Darvaza ("Warrior Gate"), the eastern gate of Ichan Qala.
The Bagcha Darvaza, the northern gate of Ichan Qala.
The Tash Darvaza ("Stone Gate"), the southern gate of Ichan Qala.
The city wall on the southern part of Ichan Qala.
The Khorezm Ma'mun Academy
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The Khorezm Ma'mun Academy was founded between 996 to 1004 by the ruler Ma'mun ibn Mohamed. Many outstanding scientists including Al-Biruni and Ibn Sina studied and worked at the academy. The Khorezm Ma'mun Academy was once a well-known science research center that contributes greatly to the mankind in many fields of sciences.
SOURCES:
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=18349&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
http://www.uzbekistan.org/news/archive/410/
http://www.uzbekistan.be/events/09 June 2006/info.html
http://www.ots.uz/en/uzbekistan/uzbekistans-cities/52-khiva
http://anklaff.uz/en/towns/22.html
The historical academy.
The entrance into the academy.
Celebrating 1000th anniversary of the Khorezm Ma'mun Academy.