Khiva

Khiva houses Central Asia's best-preserved open-air museum within its walled Itchan Kala — 94 mosques and 63 madrasas inside ancient brick ramparts. The Islam Khodja Minaret (57m), Juma Mosque with 213 wooden columns, and Tosh-Hovli Palace are the jewels of Uzbekistan's first UNESCO site (1990). National Geographic named Khiva among its 'Best of the World 2026.'