Kalta Minor Minaret, Jiva, Uzbekistán
It is difficult to imagine ancient Khiva without this monument of oriental architecture. The Minaret of Kalta-Minor has become the real symbol of the city.
It amazes with its size and unique design. Foundation of the minaret is 15 meters, diameter at the foundation is 14,5 meters and the height is 29 meters. But this massive tower has only third part of the project height.
In 1855 the Khiva ruler Muhammad Amin Khan was killed and the construction of the magnificent minaret was stopped, though it was supposed to be of 70 meters (according to other records – of 110 meters). According to the architect project wide foundation was to increase durability and the supposed top was to be narrower to decrease the load. But the fate decreed otherwise – and the tower remained unfinished. And now it resembles huge glazed barrel and is called as Kalta-Minor that means “short minaret”.
Epic Uzbekistan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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