I woke up from my slumber. And as my eyes squinted, trying to focus on the things around me, I was reminded that this was neither my bedroom in Jakarta, nor any of the familiar-looking hotel rooms I had stayed at before. It felt almost… Aladdin-esque, for lack of a better word. I looked around, and what Dorothy says to Toto when they arrive in Oz immediately came to mind.

We had arrived in Khiva the day before after a long and rather monotonous car ride on the mostly straight road from Bukhara across the Kyzylkum Desert. Apart from the views of barren land as far as the eye could see, and the occasional appearance of strange- and bone-dry-looking plants – which I later learned to be the asafoetida – there was not much to see through the window. At one point, somewhere between Bukhara and Khiva, our calm-mannered driver pointed at a long river to our left that glistened under the sun. It was the Amu Darya, the fabled river which in antiquity was known as the Oxus that now flows through modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Hours after we left Bukhara, the famous walled city of Khiva – known as Itchan Kala – finally came into sight, and what an arresting view it was! My anticipation began to build as we were drawing closer to the centuries-old defensive walls within which lie mostly 18^th– and 19^th-century structures that together make up Uzbekistan’s first-ever UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1990. However, our driver pulled over near the west gate to the compound and explained to us that it was as close to the heart of Itchan Kala as he was able to take us. No big deal. After unloading our suitcases, we continued on foot to reach our accommodation within the city walls.

As we stepped inside Itchan Kala, it immediately felt as if we had stepped back in time. There were mud-brick buildings everywhere we looked, and moments later I finally saw in person the most iconic structure of this walled city: Kaltaminor. Commissioned in the mid-19^th century by the khan (ruler) of the Khanate of Khiva, it was planned to be the tallest minaret in the Muslim world, reaching a height of at least 80 meters. (Other sources mention that it was meant to be 110 meters tall.) However, only three years after construction started, the project was halted due to the sudden death of the khan, leaving the structure unfinished. This explains its appearance, which is rather unusual for a minaret.

But I knew I had to push back the urge of taking a closer look at Kaltaminor since we needed to check in at our hotel first. I followed James who led the way to our accommodation through the cobblestone streets of Itchan Kala, and after a few minutes’ walk, we finally arrived at what appeared to be an old madrasah (Islamic educational institution), tucked away in a quieter neighborhood of the walled city. Once the formalities were settled, we were shown to our bedroom, and what a space it was! The main bed was decorated with carved wooden panels – which were painted with colorful floral patterns – and wooden frames, from which maroon satin curtains hung down. At one corner, accessed through a ladder was another mattress placed within a niche. In addition to this dramatic welcome, the room was further accentuated by patterned wall tiles and rugs with intricate details. Above our heads was an Uzbek-style chandelier suspended from the domed ceiling of the former madrasah.

Needless to say, we were impressed with our bedroom. However, our itchy feet couldn’t wait any longer to begin wandering around the walled city of Itchan Kala, especially as it happened to be a nice and sunny afternoon. And what place could have been a better starting point of our exploration than the defensive walls themselves? Navigating through the atmospheric and often lively narrow alleys of Itchan Kala, we made our way to the southern gate of the old town, also known as the Tosh Gate. There, after we paid the entrance fee, a friendly lady manning the ticket booth at the base of the gate gave us leaflets with a map of places of interest in this old part of Khiva. Soon enough we were already walking on parts of the fortifications around the perimeter of this historic city to get a better vantage point of its minaret- and dome-studded skyline. Three towers particularly stood out: the iconic Kaltaminor, the Juma Mosque minaret, and the Islam Khodja Minaret – which is the tallest in Itchan Kala at 56.6 meters.

Staying in the walled city for a few days gave us enough time to check out both the most famous sites as well as those that were less frequented by visitors. On another day, we started early when most other tourists were probably still sleeping. The previously lively alleys were now peaceful and quiet, and the soft morning sun made the mud-brick structures glow. It was very atmospheric and mesmerizing. We walked through the eastern gate of Itchan Kala, also known as the Polvon Gate, to exit the walled compound and headed to the remains of Dishan Kala, the outer defensive walls of the old city of Khiva. Only parts of it still survive to this day, including the Hazorasp Gate, a 19^th-century construction that now stands between Itchan Kala and Khiva station. Along the way, we encountered cute schoolchildren in their uniforms, some of them saying hello to us with big smiles.

Before the sun rose too high, we returned to Itchan Kala. And as we drew closer, the Islam Khodja Minaret came into sight once again while the rest of the old town was hidden behind the walls. The minaret’s loftiness would certainly beckon anyone to come closer and enter the compound to marvel at the many centuries-old buildings inside. But it would also spark curiosity for those who wonder how the walled city looks when viewed from the minaret. And we were among those people.

We went to the base of the minaret to pay the entrance fee, and frankly the structure looked even taller when I stood right next to it. I even began to question our decision to go up – is it safe? The moment we entered the monument and started scaling its narrow spiraling steps, it immediately dawned on me that this was definitely not a place for people with claustrophobia. As we climbed higher, at times we had to stop to make way for other visitors going down. Luckily, it was a rather short climb, and a few minutes later we were already at the viewing platform, 45 meters above the ground. From this height, the panoramic views of Itchan Kala were marvelous: old madrasahs, former palaces, ancient tombs, and mosques standing next to each other, some dating back to the 17^th century CE, and a few as old as the 14^th century, when the ancient Silk Road was still an active trade network, connecting merchants from Asia and Europe.

The Islam Khodja Minaret was built in the beginning of the 20^th century, but from up there the echoes of the Silk Road were somewhat still palpable. We took in the magnificent 360-degree views before our eyes, with the cool autumn breeze caressing our faces. Now, we were more eager to check out some of the monuments we were looking at from this bird’s-eye perspective. With each step going down the minaret via the same narrow staircase, my excitement to explore more of Itchan Kala only grew bigger.