The Living Museum of Khiva

As soon as I landed, I went straight to the walled city of Khiva, which stands preserved just like the olden days. I was impressed that it has survived from the 8th century and is now a World Heritage Site. The city has many beautiful complexes like the Kalta Minor Minaret and the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasa. The city even boasts architectural monuments like the Kuhna Ark and the Ichon Qala gates that remind me of my own evolved architecture that uses angles to reinforce structures. The complex lattice of streets allows for serene exploration. The present residents, descendants of Iran, many of them textile weavers, still maintain their old way of life in the city. I found this place to be an open-air museum of life in Central Asia.