Bishkek, Dec. 1, 2019. / Kabar /. The historical city of Khiva in Uzbekistan is declared the cultural capital of the Turkic world 2020. The corresponding decision was made at the 37th meeting of the TURKSOY Permanent Council in Osh, the press service of the Ministry of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic reported.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism of Kyrgyzstan, Azamat Zhamankulov, noted that the decision was made unanimously.

The meeting was also attended by TURKSOY Secretary General Dusen Kaseinov, Deputy Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Rafig Bayramov, Deputy Minister of Culture of Kazakhstan Nurkisa Daueshov, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Nadir Alparslan, Deputy Minister of Culture of Turkmenistan Gurbanmurad Myradaliev, as well as Minister of Education and Culture of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (country Observer) Nazim Cavusoglu.

Khiva city, one of the main pearls of modern Uzbekistan, has almost completely retained its historical appearance. The ancient city of Khiva was once the center of the Khorezm Khanate, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Kamola Akilova said.

The rich heritage that has survived to this day makes Khiva one of the most interesting cities in modern Uzbekistan.

There are many legends about the city and its name. One of the legends claims that for many centuries the Great Silk Road passed through Central Asia, connecting East and West. Merchants stopped in this area to take a break from a long journey and gain strength. Having tasted the delicious clear water from the source, the merchants exclaimed with pleasure: “Hey wah!” - “Oh, how wonderful!” local residents called the spring - Hayvak. Later, the village itself, built around the spring in the middle of a vast desert, was called Khiva.

This city became the capital of the Khiva Khanate in the 17th century. Most of Khiva today resembles an open-air museum. And the center of this museum is Ichan-Kala fortress. All the architectural masterpieces of Khiva are concentrated inside of this fortress.

The most impressive architectural aspect of Khiva is Ichan-Kala, an ancient complex included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the most important symbols of Khiva is the Juma mosque.