Itchan Kala is the walled core of Khiva, a near-rectangular medina of mud-brick streets, minarets, palaces, and madrassas surrounded by a tapering city wall up to ten metres high. The walls have four gates — one in each cardinal direction — and a continuous walkway runs along the top of the western section, with views down into the alleys and across the rooftops to the surrounding desert.
The Soviets relocated most residents to outside the walls in the 20th century, so Itchan Kala can feel more like a museum than a living town. Spend an evening here after the tour buses have left and the mood softens completely. The standard combined ticket, valid for two days, covers most paid sites and is sold at every gate.