Sultanhani Caravanserai

the door to 13th century Sultanhani Caravanserai

A caravanserai is an old hotel that served traders and travellers along the Silk Route. Caravanserais have been used since 10th century. Trade across Turkey in mediaeval Seljuk times was dependent on camel trains (kervan, anglicised as caravan), which stopped by night in inns known as kervansaray or caravanserai , literally 'caravan palaces'. These buildings provided accommodation and other amenities for the merchants and stabling for their animals. It provided protection against the elements and robbers, hence the external walls are quite high and thick, like a fortress. There are many of these along the silk route - about one every 17 miles because camels could only walk about that far in a day. Despite the ornate entrance, the interior of the caravanserai is essentially quite basic, but the simplicity of the building is in itself quite beautiful, with high ceilings and geometric lines.

In the caravanserais, foreign traders as well as native ones, would be put up for three days. They were building fortresses called "Ribat". These buildings, first constructed as small buildings for military uses, later were developed and changed into larger buildings and were used for both religious purposes and as inns for travelers. For defense purposes, their walls were constructed like castle walls. Some of the best examples of Seljuk stonemasonry can be seen at the entrances, called "Tac Kapi". Although dragon, lion motifs and floral designs were among the ones frequently used, in the Cappadocia region generally geometrical designs were preferred. The doors, as strong as the castle doors, were made of iron.

Especially during the times of Seljuk Sultans Kilicarslan II and Alaaddin Keykubat I, the construction of these buildings accelerated and the security of the trading roads was provided by the state. The loss of the trades would be met by the states, which can be accepted as the first insurance system. During that period, both home and foreign trades prospered. In this way, the Seljuks, whom were already strong in terms of economy, became politically strong, too.