The Great Silk Road stretches all the way from China to modern Europe. It did not stop developing and expanding, so it was necessary to develop infrastructure along the way. Routes were so long that hiking on them lasted for months, and travelers needed comfort and rest.
Thus, caravanserais appeared in Khiva, which situated in the very center of the Way.
Caravanserai is a place like a guest house, where merchants could stop for a rest, go to the tavern to drink wine, feed and drink their horses.
The caravanserais were accommodated for overnight stay. If the caravan did not have time to get into the city before sunset, the gates were closed, and in the morning, the caravaners entered the city and sold their goods and bought the necessary ones.
In the 1830s, Allakulikhan built one of the many caravanserais in Khiva at the entrance to his palace. But this is the only caravanserai in Khorezm that has survived to this day. The ruler was so interested in building this guest house that he even ordered to dismantle part of Itchan-Kala.
The structure was of rectangular shape and stretched from the south to the north of Khorezm. The attraction had a wide and spacious palace square, which was surrounded by two-storied small residential buildings, in which the merchants stayed. Incredibly beautiful entrance portal and the surrounding shops faced the main facade of the building. Khorezm caravanserai reflects all the inimitable beauty and culture of that time.
The total area of the sight is 69 by 58 meters. In total, there are 104 hujras with two floors each: living area on the second floor, and storage area on the second floor. The construction is rather sparingly decorated: instead of decorating, the walls were just plastered with clay.
In the middle of the XIX century, the main facade of the caravanserai was supplemented by Tim Allakulikhana, the trade dome. Delineations of the facade determined the composition of ancient Tim. This is a shopping precinct, which specialized in the trade of silk fabrics and sewing products. The city library, which was located in the neighboring Allakulikhan Madrassah, was funded with sales revenues.
No matter where on the planet you come from, we at Canaan Travel are sure that a visit to Uzbekistan and wonderful Khiva will be an unforgettable page in your own history. Discover the beauty of the magical East!