Turkish Delightful: Vocabulary and Mathematics Lesson: Han = Caravanserai

A Han is the same thing as a Caravanserai. All well and good. But what is a han and why are there two completely different words for the same thing?

You say potato and I say french fry.

A Han is generally speaking a Turkish word, and Caravanserai is more a Persian or English translation.

"Yes, but what is it?" I hear you ask in an increasingly impatient voice.

To which I reply: They, or rather it, is a roadside inn for travellers along the silk and spice trade routes to rest from a long days ride. Travellers were allowed three nights free and then were charged to stay along with their animals to encourage the flow of traffic. It was also a chance for travellers to rest their animals,, exhange informaton, sell goods, stock up for the next part of their journey.

Hans were built slightly different depending on whether they were located in a city or in the countryside.

In a city, they were often connected to a market, and so were built double-decker, animals on the bottom (you are not going to persuade a camel to go up stairs believe me), and traders on the top.

Town Han, Kayserai

In the country, they had more room, so were built encircling a courtyard. the animals stayed in a sace called A1, a large space straight through at the back. Not being near a mosque, a space to pray was built in the middle, up steep stairs, and always with a niche indicating the direction of Mecca.
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Country Han, along the Spice Route
note big blocky building at the back on the right. that's for all the animals (so don't choose the room next door)

this way to Mecca

a triple decker! (no cheese)

Some of the old Hans has been done up, and now house shops and cafes.

Bursa

Konya

Some are a bit on the crumbly side:

cheap rent - and air conditioned (Istanbul)

Exploring an Istanbul Han where traders stayed
and where some merchants still operate

Eric has learned that the ancient secrets to old buildings, especially Hans, live on inside old men with keys. Seek out an old man with a key and you are sitting pretty my friend.