In the western part of Uzbekistan, on the left bank of the Amu-Darya River, in the transition zone between the sultry deserts of Karakum and Kyzylkum lays the land of ancient Khorezm oasis. Khiva is a city from a fairy-tale. The capital of the Khiva Khanate in the 17th century, it still retained the exotic flavour of a medical Oriental town in the old part of the city - Ichan-Kala, where all monuments of architecture are located. Among them are the Kunya-Ark citadel, the Tash-Khauli Palace, and the fortified hill - Akshish-bobo, which is the best place to glance over the whole city... Today Khiva is a museum-city. There are no tall buildings and wide trees here. It is very hard to enumerate all the historic sites in Khiva. There are palaces decorated with colorful mosaics, the adobe houses, and many medressehs, minarets and mosques in Khiva, such as the tall and beautiful Islam-Hoja minaret. Khiva has always been famous for its wood-carving. Doors and columns of palaces are covered by very beautiful patterns. It is hard to believe while walking along the paved streets of Ichan-Kala where there is not a single tree or window that a modern city hums with life just a few feet away. You are welcome to the open–air museum!