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ANCIENT ARK
Ismailov Tokhirjon Khushnudbek ugli
Mamun University, teacher
E-mail: tohirjon_ismailov@mamunedu.uz
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8571-3653
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14898099
Kokhna ark is an ancient fortress of Khiva, one of the khan's palaces in
"Ikhon fortress". The history of the castle is closely related to the history of the
city of Khiva. This architectural monument complex in Khiva was built between
the 17th and mid-19th centuries. Ichan is located in the western part of the
castle. The buildings in the Old Ark were built mainly by the master poet
Mavlano Vafai in the 17th century during the reign of Arang Khan, the son of
Anosha Khan. It was restored and repaired in 1804-1806. The Old Ark is
divided into four courtyards and is surrounded by a high thatched wall. From
the gate on the east side, go to the corridor on the right side, through which you
will go to the palace mosque and the khan's mint. The Haramkhana is in the
north of the arch, in the western part of the viewing hall, in the middle is the
shrine of Grandfather Ak Sheikh. On the left side of the gate were the rooms
where the khan's servants lived, a storehouse and stables.
In the arch, the remains of the coffin named Akshaikhbobo have been
preserved. A city gradually appeared around Koshk. The palaces of the last
Khans of Khiva were also built here. The history of the fortress can be called the
history of the city of Khiva. Only a few buildings from the 19th century have
been preserved in the area of the arch, which was surrounded by a fortress wall
made of raw bricks. But the ancient arch was like a special city within the city.
There were houses for the khan and his family and officials in the ark.
In addition to the buildings of the viewing room (reception), mint, summer
mosque and harem, the former armory, ammunition workshop and ammunition
warehouse, offices for the khan's relatives and officials, kitchen, stable, dungeon
and a special area for fighting rams have been preserved in the arch.
The term Old Ark was used in the city in 1832-1838 when another such
palace - Taskhovli was built. Rows of rooms are connected, and a courtyard is
formed in the middle. There are special corridors to pass between the
courtyards.
An ambassador who entered the reception hall of Muhammad Rahim
Khan in the old Ark reported that he had to walk three yards from the palace
gate to the gallery. The gate of the arch is similar to the "Polvon" gate in the city.
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There was a domed lantern above the towers of the gate. A row of small arches
was connected to the wall of the castle on the side.
It is difficult to think about the structure of the ruined room in the arch.
However, the preserved observatory, summer and winter mosques, mint
(treasury) and harem buildings give a partial idea of the palaces of the first
khans from the Kungirat dynasty.
The exterior of the palace buildings does not attract much attention.
Because in the past, these buildings were connected to other buildings, so the
facade was blocked. The artistic architectural features and advantages of the
buildings can be seen from the courtyards. "Zarbkhona" located in the area of
Kokhna Ark was built during the reign of Muhammad Rahim Khan I. It consists
of three vaulted rooms. The rooms of the mint are made of baked bricks, and the
roof is covered with a balkh dome.
Also, the Old Ark complex has a "Mosque" and a number of rooms located
around the courtyard. The porch in the south of the courtyard was built facing
north. The walls are decorated with colorful rivets. Its ceiling is supported by 6
columns in two rows. The top of the column is decorated with eyebrows, and
the column is decorated with marble seats.
"Korinishkhana" located in the complex, i.e. the khan's reception hall, was
built during the reign of Arang Khan. Its current appearance was built by
Eltuzar Khan. Decorations of Koshingori are characteristic of the reign of
Ollokuli Khan. In the south of the courtyard, a high porch facing north and
flower beds on both sides are decorated with tiles and rivets. At the back of the
porch is the hall of the khan - the room where the throne stands. The walls of
the room are decorated with ganchkori patterns. From the door on the left side
to the courtyard. There is a corridor that connects the storeroom, stables and
servants' quarters with the gallery, and a small room on the right side of it leads
to the second floor through a staircase. On the western side of the courtyard,
there were two-story rooms. The rooms in the north were built in the European
style at the beginning of the 20th century. A tent was erected on a circular brick
platform in the middle of the courtyard, where the khan received ambassadors.
The high porch with two large columns stands out. Ceremonial official
receptions were held on this porch, state affairs were resolved. That's why the
porch is beautiful and luxurious. The one-pillar porches in the harem are more
compact, simple, typical of residential architecture, and not as luxurious as in the
khan's lobby. The mihrab and minbar in the wide porch with many columns
show that the building is a summer mosque.
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In addition to the porch and the adjacent hall, there were a number of
rooms adjacent to the courtyard from the west. This semi-dark double-storey
room housed the treasury, library and the khan's resting place.
A small room to the east of the porch served as a corridor leading to the
courtyard, the walls of the courtyard have been partially restored, but the walls
were not decorated as they are now. That's why, against the background of
inconspicuous brick walls, the colorful decoration of the porch, like a carpet, is
clearly visible and quickly attracts attention. The surface of the wall is covered
with glazed rivets depicting various plant and geometric shapes. The lacquered
decoration of the wall, consisting of blue, white, and blue colors, contrasts
sharply with the bright golden paint patterns on the porch ceiling. The porch
and the summer mosque in the old Ark were built anew during the time of
Ollokuli Khan (1825-1842). It is said that the glazed decorations on the porch
also belong to this period. That's why the patterns and color structure of the
summer mosque and the gazebo are similar to each other.
On the walls of the throne room, we can see the art of local carving. In
terms of artistry, this carving is far inferior to the glazed rivet covers on the
porch. The khan's throne stood under a decorative dome at the far end of the
long hall. This simple throne is made of wood and covered with silver.
The summer and winter mosques and the mint were built at the same
time as a single building. The courtyard of the mosque is not very big. It is
surrounded by vaulted rooms. Coins were minted here.
References:
1. Ismailov, T. (2022, November). THE FORT THAT SPEAKS FROM THE PAST. In
Международная конференция академических наук (Vol. 1, No. 31, pp. 18 22).
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in modern science, 3(3), 5-7.
3. Ismailov, T. (2024). KO’HNA VA HAMISHA NAVQIRON SHAHAR. Молодые
ученые, 2(2), 71-72.
4. Ismailov, T. (2023). EMBOSSED KHIVA PILLARS. Current approaches and new
research in modern sciences, 2(4), 63-66.
5. Ismailov, T. (2024). MONUMENTS OF ANCIENT KHOREZM. Current
approaches and new research in modern sciences, 3(4), 175-176.
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психология в современном мире: теоретические и практические
исследования, 3(4), 46-47.
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7. Ismailov, T. (2024). QADIMGI XORAZM YODGORLIKLARI-TUPROQQAL’A.
Инновационные исследования в современном мире: теория и практика,
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8. Ismailov, T. (2024). THE LIGHT FROM THE SHOVOT. Development and
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https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13999651
