The Desert castles of ancient Khorezm, traditionally known as Elliq Qala, are a collection of desert fortresses in Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan. They are included on UNESCO’s Tentative List for World Heritage Site status as the Desert Castles of Ancient Khorezm.

Karakalpakstan, officially the Republic of Karakalpakstan, is an autonomous republic of Uzbekistan. It spans the northwestern portion of Uzbekistan. The capital is Nukus. Karakalpakstan covers an area of 166,590 km2 (64,320 sq mi), and has a population of about 2 million people. Its territory covers the classical land of Khwarazm, which in classical Persian literature was known as Kāt (کات).