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Home » Khiva of Legends. Tales, folk epos, myths and legends of ancient Khorezm.

About the minaret of Kalta Minor.

Tours to the tourist attractions of Khiva.

“Weak memory of generations reinforces legends”

Stanislav Jerzy Lec.

Historical tours in Khiva.

Muhammad Amin Khan wanted a minaret with a madrasa to be larger than anything built earlier in Khorezm. He ordered his people to work for two years for free to build this structure. At the base of an unusually short minaret, according to legend, one of the masters was bricked alive, who refused to carry out the will of the khan.
The tower remained unfinished and in this form is a unique structure in Central Asia. However, according to the Khiva historian of that time, the construction was not completed due to the death of Khan in 1855. Another legend tells that the emir of Bukhara, having learned about the construction of a unique minaret in Khiva, wanted to build the same in Bukhara.
Emir agreed with the master that he would do it as soon as he finished his work in Khiva. Khiva Khan, learning of this, gave the order to execute the master immediately after he completed the construction. This news reached the master and he escaped, leaving the minaret unfinished.

Enlightener:
"Khiva City and Legends" tourist guide to Khiva.