A caravanserai (Turkish kervansarayı) was a walled hostel on caravan roads. Travellers could safely stay overnight with their animals and merchandise and get food. Large caravanserais served as warehouses and trading places for import and export goods. The sultans of the Rum-Seldschuken built up a network of caravanserais in Anatolia, especially in the 13th century. The distance from each other was about 30 to 40 kilometres. This corresponded to the daily workload of a caravan. In the Ottoman Empire, the caravanserai system was expanded.

Caravanserais were massive fortifications with stone walls and iron-clad gates. The ground plan usually corresponded to a square or rectangle, occasionally an octagon. They had a large courtyard around which arcaded buildings stood. The ground floor housed stables for animals and shops. On the upper floor were the quarters for the travellers. The original Seljuk caravanserais had workshops, provided medical care, baths, kitchens, tea and coffee rooms. Music bands played for entertainment. There was a prayer room near the entrance gate. Some stations had small mosques in the inner courtyard. The services on the caravan routes were free of charge, only in the cities did fees have to be paid.
The Ottoman and Persian caravanserais were much more economical: Mattresses and blankets, cooking utensils and crockery had to be brought along.

         

Further caravanserais in preparation

             

 

       

 

Ağzikara Han

 

Alara Han

 

Alay Han

 

Döğer Kervansarayı

 

Seljuk caravanserai on D300, Aksaray-Nevşehir, 13 km behind Aksaray.

 

Seljuk caravanserai, one day trip (approx. 40 km) from Alanya.

 

Seljuk caravanserai on D300, Aksaray-Nevşehir, 35 km behind Aksaray.

 

Ottoman caravanserai in today's place Döğer in the province Afyonkarahisar.

 

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Evdir Han

  İncir Han  

Kargi Han

 

Kırkgöz Han

 

Seljuk caravanserai on the D350, Antalya-Denizli in the village Düzlerçamι.

 

Seljuk caravanserai near the town of Bucak, about 80 km from Antalya.

 

Seljuk caravanserai on the caravan route from Antalya to Konya via Beyşehir.

 

Seljuk caravanserai near the D650 Antalya-Burdur, approx. 25 km from Antalya.

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  Obruk Han   Sahipata Han   Şarapsa Han  

Sari Han

 

Seljuk Caravanserai near the National Road D300 Konya-Aksaray

 

Seljuk caravanserai at the D300 in Sultandağı in the province of Afyonkarahisar.

 

Seljuk caravanserai on the D400, approx. 13 km from Alanya.

 

Seljuk caravanserai at the D300 Nevşehir-Kayseri, near the city of Avanos.

 

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  Sultan Han   Susuz Han   Tepesidelik Han (Öresin Han)    
 

Seljuk caravanserai at the D300 Konya-Aksaray, in the village Sultanhanı.

 

Seljuk caravanserai on the D650, in the village of Susuz, 10 km from the town of Bucak.

 

Seljuk caravanserai on the D300, Aksaray-Nevşehir, approx. 30 km behind Aksaray.

   
 

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