Khiva

Khiva's inner walled city, known as Ichan Kala, preserves an exceptionally complete collection of Islamic monuments built largely between the 17th and 19th centuries, including the unfinished Islam Khodja Minaret and the striped turquoise dome of the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum. The city sits in the Khorezm oasis near the Karakum Desert and retains a quieter atmosphere than Samarkand or Bukhara. Sunrise over the rooftops from atop the western gate wall offers wide views across the ensemble.