# Islam Khodja Minaret, Khiva > The Islam Khodja Minaret is Khiva’s tallest tower — about 45 m above ground, 56.6 m including its foundations, built in 1908–1910. You can climb it: roughly 175 steep spiral steps on a **separate ticket of about 100,000 UZS** (unofficial). It’s open daily, roughly 9:00–18:00. Allow 40 minutes for the climb, the view over Itchan Kala and the crafts museum in the madrasa. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret - City: [Khiva](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - Entry: Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS - With kids: Fine with kids - Climb: ≈ 100,000 UZS, separate ticket at the door - Itchan Kala pass: ≈ 250,000 UZS, about two days; covers the madrasa museum - Hours: Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00, later in summer - Steps: ≈ 175 (one source says 118) - Payment: Cash in som for the climb; the pass desk has a card terminal - Viewing platform: ≈ 45 m, windows on all sides - Getting there: ≈ 8 min walk from the West Gate, 2 min from the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum - Where: South-east part of Itchan Kala, Khiva - Coordinates: 41.37659, 60.36012 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 45 m** — above ground; 56.6 m including the foundations (source: Orexca; Russian Wikipedia; Turkestan Travel; Wikidata) - **1908–1910** — the minaret and madrasa were built (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca; Turkestan Travel) - **≈ 175 steps** — of brick spiral stair to the platform; one source gives 118 (source: Uzbekistan.travel; Sputnik8 (Audley Travel — 118)) - **9.5 m** — across at the base, tapering towards the top (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca; Turkestan Travel) - **Tallest** — minaret in Khiva; often ranked second in Central Asia after Kutlug-Timur in Kunya-Urgench (source: Russian Wikipedia; Uzbekistan.travel) - **Islam Khodja** — grand vizier to Isfandiyar Khan, who also paid for a hospital, post office, telegraph and a secular school (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **1913** — Islam Khodja was murdered on his way home from the khan’s palace (source: Russian Wikipedia; Sputnik8) - **42 cells** — in the Islam Khodja Madrasa, the smallest in Khiva (source: Orexca; Turkestan Travel; Advantour) - **Museum** — of Khorezm applied arts in the madrasa: woodcarving, chased copper, jewellery (source: Sputnik8; Turkestan Travel) - **Bolta Voisov** — and Eshmukhammad Khudoyberdiyev — the masters of the tilework (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **1990** — Itchan Kala became a UNESCO World Heritage Site (source: English Wikipedia (Itchan Kala); Turkestan Travel) ## Islam Khodja Minaret ticket price and opening hours The climb is sold **separately — about 100,000 UZS** per person at the foot of the minaret. That’s the figure tour operators and recent travel guides give; it isn’t official, as the Itchan Kala museum-reserve doesn’t publish a price list, and older guides quote 30,000–50,000 UZS. Keep your ticket until you’re back down. The madrasa next door, with its applied arts museum, is covered by the **Itchan Kala pass — about 250,000 UZS** for foreign visitors, sold at the old-town gates and valid for roughly two days. It’s open daily, roughly **9:00–18:00**, with the climb sometimes open later in summer. Bring **cash in som** for the climb. The pass desk at the West Gate takes Visa and Mastercard, but its terminal isn’t always working. ATMs and bank exchange desks are by the West Gate and along the main street. > **The staircase is narrow, steep and dark** The spiral steps are high and uneven, passing people coming down is a squeeze, and light comes only from a few slits. Skip it if you’re claustrophobic, have bad knees or are with small children — the minaret looks great from below, and you can get a lower view of Khiva from the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower in [Kunya-Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark). ## How many steps does the Islam Khodja Minaret have? **About 175 steps** of brick spiral stair lead to the platform — the count given by Uzbekistan’s national tourism portal and Sputnik8. Audley Travel says 118. There’s no official count, so we show both. The climb to about 45 m takes 5–10 minutes at a steady pace, and the way down takes as long — spiral stairs are slower going down than you expect. Keep a hand on the wall and carry only a small bag; a backpack catches on the turns. ## Is it worth climbing? Yes, if it’s your first time in Khiva and steep stairs don’t bother you. This is **the highest viewpoint in the old town**, and the only place where you see Itchan Kala whole — a ring of walls packed with domes and flat roofs. Go an hour or so before sunset, when the brick turns gold, or early in the morning before the heat and the tour groups. Skip it if you’re short on energy, it’s over 35°C, or you’ve already been up the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower in Kunya-Ark or the wall walk at the North Gate — the view there is lower but similar. Then just look at the minaret from the square and spend 15–20 minutes in the madrasa museum. ## How to get to the Islam Khodja Minaret 1. From Urgench airport (UGC) or Urgench railway station, take a taxi to Khiva — about 35 km, 40 minutes. The Urgench–Khiva trolleybus is cheaper but takes around 1.5 hours. Trains from Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara also run to Khiva station, 1.5 km east of the old town. 2. Enter Itchan Kala through the West Gate (Ota Darvoza) and buy the pass at the ticket office by the gate. 3. Walk east along the main street past Kalta Minor and Kunya-Ark to the Juma Mosque. 4. Just past the Juma Mosque, turn right (south). The minaret rises above the rooftops — head for it. About 8 minutes on foot from the gate. 5. Buy the climb ticket at the minaret door; the museum opens with your pass. ## History of the minaret The minaret and madrasa were built by **Islam Khodja**, grand vizier of the Khiva Khanate under Isfandiyar Khan and a moderniser: his money gave Khiva a hospital, a pharmacy, a post and telegraph office, its first power station and a secular school. The ensemble was finished in 1910, one of the last big buildings inside Itchan Kala. The tower served both for the call to prayer and as a lookout over the surrounding country. Islam Khodja didn’t enjoy it long: he was murdered in 1913 on his way home from the khan’s palace. The small madrasa beside it has 42 student cells and now houses a **museum of Khorezm applied arts**. The height depends on how you count: about 45 m from the ground to the top, 56.6 m with the foundations — many guides round it to 57 m. Either way it’s **the tallest minaret in Khiva**, and you can see it from almost anywhere in the old town. ## What to see - Bands of turquoise, blue and white tiles all the way up the shaft — from the ground they read like stripes on a sweater. - The lantern on top with its stalactite cornice and gilded finial — best seen from the square by the madrasa. - The view from the platform: domes, flat roofs, [Kalta Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kalta-minor), the walls and towers, and modern Khiva beyond. - The green dome of the [Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/pahlavan-mahmud-mausoleum) right below you, two minutes away. - The applied arts museum in the madrasa: carved doors and columns, chased copper, Khorezm jewellery. - The madrasa courtyard and cells — a quiet place to sit after the climb. ## Before you climb: checklist - [ ] Som in cash for the climb ticket - [ ] Itchan Kala pass for the madrasa museum - [ ] Flat, grippy shoes - [ ] A small bag instead of a backpack - [ ] Water — it’s hot at the top - [ ] Time before closing — ideally an hour before sunset ## Islam Khodja vs Kalta Minor vs Kunya-Ark | | Islam Khodja | Kalta Minor | Kunya-Ark | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Khiva’s tallest minaret | Unfinished, wide tiled minaret | The khans’ citadel | | Can you go up? | Yes, separate ticket | No | Yes, the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower, extra fee | | View | All of Itchan Kala | — | The western old town | | Stairs | ≈ 175 steep steps | — | A short climb | | Time needed | ≈ 40 min with the museum | 10 min outside | ≈ 1 h | Of these three, you can go up Islam Khodja and the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower in Kunya-Ark; elsewhere in Itchan Kala there’s a wall walk at the North Gate, and the Juma Mosque minaret is only sometimes open. If you’ll climb just once, pick Islam Khodja — it’s higher and you see the whole town. ## Khiva’s mosques, madrasas and minarets Every place of worship in Khiva rated by YesGo. - [Kalta Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kalta-minor) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free, outside view - [Islam Khodja Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS - [Juma Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-juma-mosque) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS - [Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/pahlavan-mahmud-mausoleum) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000–30,000 UZS, separate - [Itchan Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-itchan-kala) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours ## The eastern half of Itchan Kala in half a day Kalta Minor, the Juma Mosque, up the Islam Khodja Minaret and on to the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum. 1. [Kalta Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kalta-minor) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free, outside view 2. [Juma Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-juma-mosque) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS 3. [Islam Khodja Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS 4. [Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/pahlavan-mahmud-mausoleum) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000–30,000 UZS, separate 5. [Tash-Hauli Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/tash-hauli-palace) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Itchan Kala pass ≈ 250,000 UZS > **Dress code for the madrasa and mausoleum** Cover shoulders and knees for the madrasa museum and the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum next door. The mausoleum is a working pilgrimage site, so women should bring a light scarf for their hair. ## Good to know Khiva also has an Islam Khodja Palace outside the old town — his country residence, a different place. And don’t mix the minaret up with Kalta Minor: that one is short, wide, covered in turquoise tiles and can’t be climbed. ## Tips - Climb an hour or so before sunset — the best light on the domes, and the heat has eased. - On summer afternoons the stairwell and platform are stifling; go in the morning or evening. - Climb first, then cool down in the madrasa museum. - Pair it with the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, two minutes’ walk away. - For a shot of the whole tower, step into the lane by the madrasa where shaft and lantern both fit in the frame. - Carry small notes — the climb is paid in cash at the door, and exact money is easiest. ## Questions ### How much does it cost to climb the Islam Khodja Minaret? About 100,000 UZS per person, paid at the minaret door — an unofficial figure. It isn’t included in the Itchan Kala pass. ### How many steps does the Islam Khodja Minaret have? About 175, according to Uzbekistan’s tourism portal and Sputnik8. Audley Travel says 118; there’s no official count. ### How tall is the Islam Khodja Minaret? About 45 m above ground and 56.6 m including the foundations. It’s the tallest minaret in Khiva. ### What are the opening hours? Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00, sometimes later in summer. Hours are unofficial, so check at the door. ### Is the climb included in the Itchan Kala ticket? No. The pass covers the madrasa museum; the climb is a separate ticket. ### Can I pay by card? Bring cash in som for the climb. The Itchan Kala pass desk at the West Gate has a card terminal, but it isn’t always working. ### Is it worth climbing the Islam Khodja Minaret? Yes, if steep, dark stairs don’t bother you: it’s the only place to see all of Itchan Kala at once. Best an hour before sunset or early morning. ### How long do I need? About 40 minutes: 15–20 for the climb and the view, 15–20 for the madrasa museum. ### Where is the Islam Khodja Minaret? In the south-east of Itchan Kala, next to the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, about 8 minutes’ walk from the West Gate. ## How we checked We found no official price list or schedule from the Itchan Kala museum-reserve, so prices and hours are unofficial and marked as such. The climb: 100,000 UZS per Putevka, Tripadvisor and Eurasia Travel (2025); older guides give 30,000–50,000 UZS, so we show the newer figure. The pass: 250,000 UZS per Tripadvisor and Putevka; 2024 sources give 150,000–200,000 UZS. Hours differ between 9:00–18:00 daily, 8:00–18:00 with summer evenings to 19:30, and 8:00–20:00, so we give a rough range. Steps: about 175 per Uzbekistan.travel and Sputnik8, 118 per Audley Travel — both shown. Height: 56.6 m with foundations and about 45 m above ground (Orexca, Russian Wikipedia). Accounts of Islam Khodja’s murder differ, so we give only the year. Card acceptance at the pass desk comes from travel guides (Wander-Lush, GuruWalk listings). ## Sources - Russian Wikipedia: Islam Khodja Minaret, Islam Khodja; Wikidata Q28122558 - Orexca: Minaret and Madrasa of Islam Khodja, Khiva - Turkestan Travel: Islam Khoja Minaret; Madrasa Islam Khoja - Uzbekistan.travel (National PR Centre for tourism): Islam Khoja Minaret - Sputnik8: Islam Khodja reference page, 2025 - Advantour: Islam Khoja Complex - Putevka, Tripadvisor, Eurasia Travel, Wander-Lush — pass and climb prices, payment - Audley Travel — step count (118) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.