Şarapsa Han

 

 

     
 

 

The south side  
   

Şarapsa Han is an old Seljuk caravansary, about 13 km from Alanya and about 50 km from Manavgat. The shape of this Han is unique in Turkey. It consists only of a tunnel-like room measuring 9 x 62 metres inside with a barrel vault. On the east side there is a separate, separate room, which is designed as a prayer room and is still partly used today. Today, however, the room serves less sacred purposes than a banal storage room for surplus furniture.

 
   
 
The prayer room  
   

 

The undecorated portal

 
   

According to the inscription above the entrance portal the north facing Han was built in the years 1236 - 1245 under Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II (1236-1246). Its size is 15 x 70 meters. The undated five-line inscription only states that the Han was built in the time of Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II, son of Alaeddin Keykubat I in the years 1236 -1245. The master builder was not named. It is assumed that the Sultan himself took over the planning of the Han. From the unusual construction it can be concluded that the Han was only designed as a warehouse. Military use is also conceivable.

 
   

 
The Ruin of the Tower  
   

On the west side is the ruin of what was probably a two-storey tower. The exact use of this tower is unknown. Since the caravanserai itself did not have a closed living room, it can be assumed that at least the guard's quarters were located in this building. It is also possible to observe activities at sea.

 
   
 
   

Today the Han, initially called "Ali Han", is used as a restaurant for weddings and tourist groups with evening folklore events.

 
   

 
Floor plan of Şarapsa Han caravansary

according to Erdmann

 
   

 

1 Entrance portal
2 closed hall
3 closed cell (prayer room)
4 Watchtower / Residential building
     
     
     
Photos: @chim    
Translation aid: www.DeepL.com/Translator    
Source: Wikipedia and others