Kalta Minor Tower
Kalta Minor Tower in Khiva, Uzbekistan
Kalta Minor is located in Ichan Kala, the inner city of Khiva, which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks: the wide, low minaret immediately stands out among the slender towers and domes of the historic center. For tourists, it is interesting not only for its appearance, but also as a rare example of a large unfinished 19th-century structure.
Construction of the minaret began by order of the Khivan khan Muhammad Amin Khan in the mid-19th century. According to the most widespread version, work stopped after his death, and the tower remained far lower than originally intended. That is why its name is usually translated as "Short Minaret."
The structure is distinguished by unusual proportions: despite its relatively modest height, it has a very wide base diameter. The surface of the tower is covered with glazed ceramics and majolica in bands of blue, light blue, turquoise, and white. This decoration has been well preserved and makes Kalta Minor one of the most prominent landmarks within the fortress walls of Ichan Kala.
Today, Kalta Minor is seen as an important part of Khiva's architectural ensemble and one of the main points of interest for a walk through the old city. People come here to examine the cladding up close, understand the scale of the original project, and see one of Khorezm's symbols in the context of the surrounding madrasahs, gates, and palaces.
Kalta Minor Tower on the map
Khiva, Central Part of Itchan Kala: Buildings and structures
Anush-khan Baths, Palvan-Darvaza Gate, Alla-Kuli Khan Madrasah, The Zindan in Khiva
Kalta Minor Tower and Its Place in the Ichan Kala Ensemble
A 19th-century monument preserved in unfinished form.
Unusual proportions and vivid 19th-century ceramic cladding
The tower adjoins the Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah and is perceived as part of a single architectural complex. Kalta Minor is best viewed from a short distance: this makes it easier to notice the width of its cylindrical volume, the dense ornamental bands, and the combination of smooth and relief sections of the cladding. Because the minaret was never completed, its appearance differs from most Central Asian minarets, which are usually taller and narrower.
Visitors are generally not allowed to climb inside the tower, so acquaintance with the monument takes place from the outside. Tourists usually walk around it, examine the patterns of the glazed tiles, photograph the tower at different times of day, and compare its scale with the neighboring buildings of Ichan Kala. The color palette of the cladding is especially expressive in daylight, when the transitions between blue and turquoise tones are clearly visible.
Nearby are the western Ata Darvaza Gate, the Kunya Ark fortress, the Juma Mosque, and other monuments of Khiva's historic center, so a visit to Kalta Minor can easily be included in a walking route through Ichan Kala. Since the old city is compact, the tower is usually reached on foot from the entrance gates in just a few minutes.
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