Xo‘jayli Shahri

There has been a settlement at Xojeli since prehistoric times. It is in the Amy Darya delta and it has several natural hills raised slightly above the flat surface in the south-west. The area surrounding the modern city has been occupied since at least the construction of settlements in the Neolithic, with the structures at the Gyaur-Kala fortress, on one of the hills, dating to around 4000 BCE. It is a part of the Mizdahkan archeological complex, with several Islamic Mausoleums on the hill next to the fortress. Before the Arab conquest in the 8th century, Mizdahkan was a vital Zoroastrian city. The Mausoleums that remain were mainly built in the Middle Ages, when it was one of the largest cities of Khwarazm.

During its time in the USSR, the city underwent rapid industrialization and increase in agriculture and production of cotton.

Today, Xojeli is a populous city near Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan. Its bazaar serves as an alternative market for daily products, to those of Nukus. After the lowering of restrictions on entry to Uzbekistan, the historic sites in Xojeli have started attracting more tourists.