Visit the Walled City of Khiva, Khiva, Uzbekistan

Standing on the watchtower we felt like we were on a magic carpet ride, high above the walled city of Khiva. Below us we could see the undulating top of the wall that contained the magical Old City. Before us was a town full of minarets, domed roofs and arched gates. Old Khiva had just stolen our hearts.

The legend of Khiva says that when Noah鈥檚 son Shem arrived to the area, he dug a hole in the middle of the desert ground, put his hands in the hole and brought up fresh water. When he gave this water to the people they exclaimed 鈥楰hey-vakh鈥� (sweet water). This was the beginning of the town called Khiva and in the 5th century BCE, it became a spot for caravansaries on the Great Silk Road.

This legend displays how important water has always been to the people of this desert town. To them, water means life. Before any building was erected, a well had to be built on the site. If a well wasn鈥檛 dug, they believed that the new building would not stand. To this day water continues to be very important and a well must be dug on the property before any new construction begins. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).

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Guide Name: Visit the Walled City of Khiva
Guide Location: Uzbekistan » Khiva
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Insider Tips)
Author: Maggie Kayes
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