This revered mausoleum, with its sublime courtyard and stately tilework, is one of the town’s most beautiful spots. Pahlavon Mahmud was a poet, philosopher and legendary wrestler who became Khiva’s patron saint. His 1326 tomb was rebuilt in the 19th century and then requisitioned in 1913 by the khan of the day as his family mausoleum.
The beautiful Persian-style chamber under the turquoise dome at the northern end of the courtyard holds the tomb of Mohammed Rakhim Khan. Pahlavon Mahmud’s tomb, to the left off the first chamber, has some of Khiva’s loveliest tiling on the sarcophagus and the walls. Tombs of other khans stand unmarked east and west of the main building, outside the courtyard.