Palvan Darvaza

Khiva, a city that is almost entirely an architectural monument erected in the XVIII – XIX centuries. The biggest attraction of the city is shahristan (from the ancient name of the cities that were located inside the fortress walls), which has been preserved almost untouched in the city walls of Ichan Kala (inner city). The entrance to Shahristan was carried out through the gates of Ichan Kala, one of which, located in the east, is called Palvan Darvaza. 

Palvan Darvaza were named after Pahlavan Mahmud. Pahlavan, or abbreviated Palvan, translates as “hero". Palvan Mahmud, born into a simple family, was a famous poet and wrestler. Subsequently, because of his modest, kind nature and responsiveness, he was named the Pir (saint of the city) of Khorezm. The famous and beloved poet of Khorezm was popularly nicknamed "Omar Khayyam of Khorezm". Pahlavan Mahmud, who wrote under the pseudonym Piryar-Vali, is the author of more than 300 rubai – lyrical quatrains of love and philosophical content. 

The poet was buried behind the Friday mosque of Khiva, where a mausoleum was later erected to him. For more than 700 years, pilgrims from all over the world have been flocking to his mausoleum. In 1960, when studying the mausoleum, quatrains were found on its walls, which had previously been mistaken for texts from the Koran. Upon a more detailed study of the quatrains, it was concluded that the author of the lines is Palvan Mahmud himself. Unfortunately, his other poems, except those on the walls of the mausoleum, have not reached us. 

In addition to the Ichan Kala gate, the canal of Khiva – Palvan-yab is also named in honor of Palvan Mahmud.

The powerful gates of Palvan Darvaza performed an important strategic function, meeting travelers and traders who came from the east, and deterring the raids of nomadic tribes from the west and north. 

The construction of the Palvan Darvaza gate was completed under Alla Kuli Khan, in 1835. In the people, these gates are called “Pashshab darvoza”, which translates as the Gate of Execution, and “Kul darvoza”, translated as the Gate of slaves. This is due to the fact that it was near Palvan Darvaza that the slave market was located and public executions of rebels and runaway slaves were carried out until 1873.

The facade of the gate is represented by an arched portal, passing through which the visitor enters the stone street “dash kucha”, covered with six domes. At the entrance to the fortress, the inscription is visible on the gate: “Shakhri Khiva”, which means the City of Khiva, with the date 1806, when the decision was made to erect the gate. In the side arches of the gate there are shops, two on each side. At the very beginning of the street there are baths of Anush Khan, and Ak mosque.

In the 30s of the XX century, a madrasah and a caravanserai were built at the gates of Palvan Darvaza. 

Today, the eastern gate of Ichan Kala – Palvan Darvaza is one of the main tourist attractions of the city.