Khiva, Uzbekistan

The Kuhna Ark

On the second day of my Khiva adventure, I wandered into the Kuhna Ark. The Ark was the residence and fortress of the original Khans. It was first constructed in the 10th century, and additions and embellishments were made over the centuries. The complex is built into the inside of the walls on the western side of the Ichon-Qala. It includes an enormous inner courtyard, a beautiful blue-tiled mosque, and a multitude of mysterious rooms. 

 

 

 I found a set of stairs on the back wall and started to climb. It turned out I was climbing to the wall of the Ichon-Qala itself. When I arrived to the top of the wall, I saw a watchtower with more stairs. So I just kept on going...

The stairway to....