Sultan Han
Encyclopedia
Sultan Han is a large Seljuk Caravanserai
located in the town of Sultanhanı
, Aksaray Province
, Turkey
. It is one of the three monumental caravanserai
s in the neighbourhood of Aksaray. About 40 km (25 mi) west of Aksaray
.
sultan Kayqubad I, by the Syrian architect Muhammed Bin Havlan El Dimaski (the work Dimasci indicating Damascus
) along the trade route from Konya
to Aksaray
, leading to Persia (the Uzun Yolu). After it was partially destroyed by a fire, it was restored and extended in 1278 by the governor Seraceddin Ahmed Kerimeddin bin El Hasan during the reign of the sultan Kaykhusraw III
. This monumental caravanserai then became the largest in Turkey. It is one of the best examples of Anatolian Seljuk architecture
.
corbel
s and a geometrically-patterned plaiting.
A square stoned kiosk-mosque (köşk mescidi), the oldest example in Turkey, is located in the middle of the 44 x 58 m open courtyard which was used in the summer. A construction of four carved barrel-vaulted arches supports the mosque on the second floor. Stables with accommodation above were located in the arcades on both sides of the inner courtyard, and a similarly decorated arched entrance, with a muqarnas niche, joggled voussoir
s and interlocking geometric designs is on the other side.
The covered courtyards (iwans) on both sides were for winter use. The central aisle of the covered hall has a barrel vaulted ceiling with transverse ribs, with a short dome-capped tower over the center of the vault. The dome has an oculus
to provide air and light to the hall.
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
located in the town of Sultanhanı
Sultanhanı
Sultanhanı is a town in Aksaray Province, Turkey. It is named after the famous han within the town.- Geography :Sultanhanı is at at . The distance to Aksaray is about and to the south coast of Lake Tuz is .The population of the town is 10330 as of 2010 making it one of the most populous towns of...
, Aksaray Province
Aksaray Province
Aksaray Province is a province in central Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Konya along the west and south, Niğde to the southeast, Nevşehir to the east, and Kırşehir to the north. It covers an area of 7,626 km²...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is one of the three monumental caravanserai
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
s in the neighbourhood of Aksaray. About 40 km (25 mi) west of Aksaray
Aksaray
Aksaray is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital district of Aksaray Province. According to 2009 census, population of the province is 376 907 of which 171,423 live in the city of Aksaray. The district covers an area of , and the average elevation is , with the highest...
.
History
This fortified structure was built in 1229 (dated by inscription), during the reign of the SeljukSeljuq dynasty
The Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
sultan Kayqubad I, by the Syrian architect Muhammed Bin Havlan El Dimaski (the work Dimasci indicating Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
) along the trade route from Konya
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
to Aksaray
Aksaray
Aksaray is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital district of Aksaray Province. According to 2009 census, population of the province is 376 907 of which 171,423 live in the city of Aksaray. The district covers an area of , and the average elevation is , with the highest...
, leading to Persia (the Uzun Yolu). After it was partially destroyed by a fire, it was restored and extended in 1278 by the governor Seraceddin Ahmed Kerimeddin bin El Hasan during the reign of the sultan Kaykhusraw III
Kaykhusraw III
Kaykhusraw III was between two and six years old when in 1265 he was named Seljuq Sultan of Rûm...
. This monumental caravanserai then became the largest in Turkey. It is one of the best examples of Anatolian Seljuk architecture
Seljuk architecture
Seljuk architecture is the name given to the architecture of the Seljuks. The architecture can be found in the areas where the Seljuks ruled, most of the Middle East and Anatolia between...
.
Technical details
The Sultanhanı is entered at the east, through a (pishtaq), a 13 m high gate made from marble, which projects from the front wall (itself 50 m wide). The pointed arch enclosing the gate is decorated with muqarnasMuqarnas
Muqarnas is a type of corbel used as a decorative device in traditional Islamic architecture. The term is similar to mocárabe, but mocárabe only refers to designs with formations resembling stalactites, by the use of elements known as alveole.Muqarnas takes the form of small pointed niches,...
corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s and a geometrically-patterned plaiting.
A square stoned kiosk-mosque (köşk mescidi), the oldest example in Turkey, is located in the middle of the 44 x 58 m open courtyard which was used in the summer. A construction of four carved barrel-vaulted arches supports the mosque on the second floor. Stables with accommodation above were located in the arcades on both sides of the inner courtyard, and a similarly decorated arched entrance, with a muqarnas niche, joggled voussoir
Voussoir
A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch or vault.Although each unit in an arch or vault is a voussoir, two units are of distinct functional importance: the keystone and the springer. The keystone is the center stone or masonry unit at the apex of an arch. A...
s and interlocking geometric designs is on the other side.
The covered courtyards (iwans) on both sides were for winter use. The central aisle of the covered hall has a barrel vaulted ceiling with transverse ribs, with a short dome-capped tower over the center of the vault. The dome has an oculus
Oculus
An Oculus, circular window, or rain-hole is a feature of Classical architecture since the 16th century. They are often denoted by their French name, oeil de boeuf, or "bull's-eye". Such circular or oval windows express the presence of a mezzanine on a building's façade without competing for...
to provide air and light to the hall.