# Kunya-Ark, Khiva > Kunya-Ark (also Kuhna Ark) is the khans' old citadel, a fortress inside Khiva's walled Itchan Kala by the West Gate: throne hall, tiled summer mosque, mint, harem and the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo sunset watchtower. Entry is on the Itchan Kala pass, **about 250,000 UZS for 48 hours**; the tower is around 100,000 UZS extra (unofficial). Open daily ≈ 8:00–18:00. Allow 1–1.5 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark - City: [Khiva](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Itchan Kala pass, ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours; one July 2026 source gives 150,000 UZS - Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower: Extra, paid at the stairs: ≈ 100,000 UZS; other sources quote 35,000–40,000 UZS - Hours: Daily ≈ 8:00–18:00, no closing day; later in summer - Ticket office: At the West Gate (Ota Darvoza), 2 minutes away - Paying: Foreign Visa/Mastercard at the pass desk if the terminal works; watchtower in cash som - Time needed: 1–1.5 hours with the watchtower - Where: Immediately inside the West Gate, on your left, opposite Kalta Minor - Coordinates: 41.37889, 60.35794 - Facts checked: 02.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Ak-Sheikh-Bobo** — the citadel's highest point, a former watchtower and gunpowder store — Khiva's classic sunset spot (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Advantour) - **1686–1688** — construction began under Arang (Erenk) Khan (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Stantrips; Sputnik8 (Orexca names Khudaydad Khan)) - **1804–1806** — the present throne hall (kurinish khana) built by Eltuzar Khan (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Stantrips; Turkestantravel) - **1816** — the wooden throne, clad in silver, made by the Khivan master Muhammad (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Stantrips) - **1873** — after the Russian conquest the throne went to Moscow; it is kept in the Kremlin (source: English Wikipedia; Sputnik8) - **Allakuli Khan** — under him (1825–1842) the throne hall's iwan was tiled and the summer mosque built (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Stantrips; Digital Silk Road (NII)) - **The mint** — built under Muhammad Rahim Khan I (1806–1825), now a small museum (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Turkestantravel) - **The harem** — the latest part, from the reign of Muhammad Rahim Khan II (1863–1910) (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Late 18th century** — a high wall cut the citadel off from the rest of Itchan Kala (source: Russian Wikipedia; Advantour) - **≈ 1–1.2 ha** — area of the citadel by the western wall (source: English Wikipedia — 1.2 ha; Digital Silk Road (NII) — 123 × 93 m) - **1990** — UNESCO World Heritage, as part of Itchan Kala (source: Russian Wikipedia; UNESCO World Heritage List) > **The watchtower isn't on the pass** The Itchan Kala pass gets you into the courtyards, the throne hall, the summer mosque and the mint, but the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower is paid separately at the foot of the stairs — about 100,000 UZS in cash, unofficially. For sunset, be up there at least an hour early: the platform is small and fills up fast. ## Kunya-Ark tickets and the watchtower fee There's no separate Kunya-Ark ticket: the citadel is one of the sites on the Itchan Kala combined pass. Recent unofficial figures put the pass at **about 250,000 UZS** (Uzbek som) for 48 hours; an Aviasales.uz article from July 2026 says 150,000 UZS. The museum-reserve doesn't publish a price list online, so treat both as unofficial. The watchtower climb is extra. Wander-lush, updated in October 2026, paid 100,000 UZS, and a Sputnik8 tour lists the same; other pages quote 35,000 or 40,000 UZS, and a few describe a higher-tier pass that already includes the climb. Ask at the West Gate ticket office exactly what your pass covers before you queue at the tower. **Paying.** The pass desk takes foreign Visa and Mastercard when its terminal is working, and there are bank ATMs right by the West Gate. The watchtower attendant wants cash, so carry som in small notes. Banks change US dollars and euros; Russian-issued cards don't work in Uzbekistan. ## What is Kunya-Ark? Kunya-Ark was the seat of power of the Khiva khans — the residence, the court, the reception hall, the mint, the arsenal and the gunpowder store, all behind their own wall inside the walled town. Building started in 1686–1688, but nearly everything you see today is 19th-century: the throne hall, the summer mosque, the mint and the harem. The name means "old citadel". It became the old one when Allakuli Khan built his new palace, [Tash-Hauli](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/tash-hauli-palace), by the East Gate and the court moved across town. In the late 18th century a high wall had already turned the Ark into a town within the town. It's well kept and easy to read: open courtyards, tiled iwans and a few small displays, rather than a ruin you have to imagine. Kunya-Ark is part of the Itchan Kala World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1990. ## What to see inside Kunya-Ark - **The gate towers** — banded in turquoise and white tiles; the photo everyone takes on the way in. - **The throne hall (kurinish khana)**, 1804–1806: a tall iwan on carved wooden columns, tiled under Allakuli Khan. The throne is a replica — the 1816 original was taken to Moscow in 1873. - **The summer mosque** — an open iwan with two rows of wooden columns, walls covered in blue-and-white majolica and a painted ceiling. The most beautiful corner of the citadel. - **The mint**, from the reign of Muhammad Rahim Khan I, now a small museum of the khanate's coins and money, with figures of minters at work. - **The harem** in the north of the Ark, the last part to be built. - **The zindan**, the old prison by the eastern wall, now with an installation of prisoner figures. - **The Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower** — the highest point, once a lookout post and powder store, with the western half of Itchan Kala at your feet. ## Is the Kunya-Ark sunset worth it? Yes — if you want one view over Khiva without the long, dark staircase of a minaret. From the watchtower you look down on the walls, the madrasa domes and [Kalta Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kalta-minor) just below, with the [Islam Khodja Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret) rising in the distance. At sunset the mud-brick town turns gold. The climb is short but steep. The best spots along the parapet go early, so arrive an hour before sunset and stay until the minaret floodlights come on — the blue hour is as good as the sunset itself. Climbing only once? Islam Khodja is higher and shows the whole town, but the stairs are long and dark. The Kunya-Ark tower is lower and easier, and the sun drops straight behind the city wall. ## Opening hours and the best time to visit Kunya-Ark opens every day with no closing day. Unofficially, the Itchan Kala museums, the citadel included, run roughly 8:00–18:00, with later closing in high season — one listing says 20:00. The watchtower stays open for sunset, but there's no published schedule, so check at the ticket office. Come twice if you can. First thing in the morning the courtyards are nearly empty and soft light falls on the summer mosque tiles. Then come back an hour before sunset for the tower. The 48-hour pass covers both visits. ## How to get to Kunya-Ark 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 about 1.5 hours. 2. Arriving by train at Khiva station? It's about 1.5 km east of the old town: a 15–20-minute walk to the East Gate (Polvon Darvoza), then 10 minutes west along the main street — or a short taxi ride straight to the West Gate. 3. Buy the Itchan Kala pass at the ticket office by the West Gate (Ota Darvoza); the ATMs are there too. 4. Walk through the gate: the citadel entrance is immediately on your left, opposite Kalta Minor — a 1–2-minute walk. 5. Show your pass at the entrance and pay for the watchtower separately at the stairs. ## Is Kunya-Ark worth visiting? Yes. With the [Juma Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/khiva-juma-mosque) and Tash-Hauli it's one of the three must-sees of Itchan Kala, it's at the entrance, and it's on the pass. In one compound you get the khan's throne, his mosque, his mint and his prison, plus one of the finest tiled walls in Khiva in the summer mosque. When to cut it short: if you've already seen the tiles at Tash-Hauli and museums aren't your thing, do the summer mosque, the throne hall and the tower in about 40 minutes. When not to skip the tower: if you have only one evening in Khiva — there's hardly a better sunset in the old town. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Itchan Kala pass bought and kept — you'll need it at other sites - [ ] Cash som in small notes for the watchtower - [ ] Sunset time checked, plan to arrive an hour early - [ ] Shoes with grip for the steep steps - [ ] Water and a hat — little shade in the courtyards in summer - [ ] 1–1.5 hours set aside ## Kunya-Ark vs Tash-Hauli vs Islam Khodja Minaret | | Kunya-Ark | Tash-Hauli | Islam Khodja Minaret | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | The khans' old citadel | Allakuli Khan's new palace | Khiva's tallest minaret | | Where | By the West Gate | By the East Gate | Southern part of the old town | | Highlight | Summer mosque, throne hall, sunset tower | Tiled harem courtyards | View over the whole town | | Entry | Pass; watchtower extra | Pass | Separate ticket | | Time needed | 1–1.5 h | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 40 min | One day in Khiva? Do all three — they line up west to east across the old town. Save Kunya-Ark's tower for sunset. ## Palaces of Khiva compared Every Khiva palace YesGo has scored. - [Nurullabay Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/nurullabay-palace) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ≈ 80,000–120,000 UZS - [Kunya-Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra - [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 - [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 - [Toprak-Kala](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/toprak-kala) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–20,000 UZS, cash ## A day in Itchan Kala ending at sunset Kalta Minor and the Juma Mosque in the morning, Tash-Hauli and the Islam Khodja Minaret after lunch, then back to the West Gate for sunset on the Kunya-Ark tower. YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 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. [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 4. [Islam Khodja Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/islam-khodja-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS 5. [Kunya-Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/khiva/kunya-ark) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra ## Don't confuse Kunya-Ark in Khiva is not the Ark of Bukhara, a different citadel in a different city, and not Kunya-Urgench, the old Khorezm capital across the border in Turkmenistan. Kunya-Ark, Kuhna Ark, Konya Ark and Ko'hna Ark are all the same place. ## Tips - Do the halls first thing, before the tour groups reach the West Gate, and come back for the tower at sunset — the pass lasts 48 hours. - Photograph the summer mosque in the morning; by midday the sun hits the iwan head-on and the tiles wash out. - Keep 100,000–150,000 UZS in small notes for the watchtower and the Islam Khodja climb. - After sunset, have dinner on a rooftop by the West Gate with Kalta Minor lit up below. - Hold small children's hands on the tower: the platform is cramped and the steps steep. ## Questions ### How much is the Kunya-Ark ticket? Kunya-Ark is on the Itchan Kala pass, about 250,000 UZS for 48 hours (unofficial; one 2026 article says 150,000 UZS). The Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower is extra, around 100,000 UZS. ### Is the Kunya-Ark watchtower worth it? Yes, especially at sunset. It's an easier climb than the Islam Khodja Minaret and looks over the walls, domes and Kalta Minor. Arrive an hour early. ### What are Kunya-Ark's opening hours? Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00, later in high season; the watchtower stays open for sunset. There's no official schedule online. ### How long do you need at Kunya-Ark? 1–1.5 hours with the tower. The highlights — summer mosque, throne hall and the climb — take about 40 minutes. ### Where is Kunya-Ark? Inside Itchan Kala, Khiva's walled old town, immediately left of the West Gate (Ota Darvoza), opposite Kalta Minor. ### What is inside Kunya-Ark? The tiled summer mosque, the 1804–1806 throne hall, the mint museum, the harem, the zindan prison and the Ak-Sheikh-Bobo watchtower. ### Where is the original Khiva throne? In the Moscow Kremlin. The silver-clad wooden throne of 1816 was taken after the Russian conquest in 1873; the one in the hall is a replica. ### Can I pay by card at Kunya-Ark? At the Itchan Kala pass desk, usually, if the terminal works. The watchtower is cash only — carry som. ATMs stand by the West Gate. ### Is Kunya-Ark good for kids? Yes — walls, courtyards, the prison with figures and the tower are fun for children. Hold little ones' hands on the steep tower stairs. ## How we checked We found no official Itchan Kala price list or timetable, so prices and hours are unofficial and marked as such. The pass: 250,000 UZS for 48 hours per Wander-lush (October 2026), 150,000 UZS per Aviasales.uz (July 2026). The watchtower: 100,000 UZS per Wander-lush and a Sputnik8 tour; 35,000 UZS on a cost-estimate site and 40,000 in an older traveller report; Salt in our Hair and Adventures of Nicole describe pass tiers that sometimes include the tower, sometimes not; Sputnik8 says in one place that the citadel is on the pass and in another that it costs about $10 separately. We show the latest figure and mention the spread. Hours: 8:00–18:00 per Aviasales.uz and Salt in our Hair; one directory gives 9:00–20:00 Monday to Saturday, but every other source says daily, so we show no closing day. The 1686–1688 start date follows both Wikipedias, Stantrips and Sputnik8; Orexca names Khudaydad Khan as the founder, and we follow the majority. Some sources date the summer mosque to 1838; we say 'under Allakuli Khan'. No source gives the tower's height, so we don't quote one. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Konya Ark - Russian Wikipedia: Kunya-Ark; Wikidata Q4247358 - Digital Silk Road (National Institute of Informatics, Japan): Khiva — architecture - Turkestantravel: Citadel Kunya-Ark in Khiva - Stantrips: Kunya Ark — fortress of the Khan - Advantour and Orexca: Kunya-Ark, Khiva - Sputnik8: Kunya-Ark — data for 2025 - Wander-lush: 2 Days in Khiva, updated 12.10.2026 — pass, watchtower fee, payment - Aviasales.uz: What to see in Khiva, 29.07.2026 — pass, museum hours, ATMs - Salt in our Hair: Things to do in Khiva — hours, separate watchtower fee - Travelto.ru: How to pay in Uzbekistan in 2026, 06.07.2026 — Russian cards - OpenStreetMap — location of the citadel, West Gate and Kalta Minor --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.