COMPARISON OF ANATOLIAN AND PERSIAN CARAVANSERAIS IN THE SELJUK PERIOD

Abstract

According to history, the caravanserais were situated along the Silk Road, which linked the East and West and played a significant role in cultural exchange and trade between cities. Caravanserais were constructed to provide facility services and shelter for travellers. The construction of caravanserais in Iran is data back to the Sassanid period. The design of caravanserais alongside the road during the Seljuk Empire was a policy of the Seljuk Empire to connect cities located within the empire’s borders. Hence, different caravanserais with various designs were constructed in both Anatolia and Iran. This study emphasizes caravanserais constructed during the Seljuk era in both regions.
 The aim of this paper is to compare the architectural characteristic of Persian and Anatolian caravanserais built during the Seljuk era. In this respect, six caravanserais with different typologies of the plan features from both regions were selected to compare. The selected caravanserais from Iran are Deyre Gachin, Robat-e Mahi, and Robat-e Sharaf whereas Evdir Han, Aksaray Sultan Han, and Alara Han are selected from Anatolia. 
 The comparison of these caravanserais includes several steps. In the first step, the characteristics of Seljuk caravanserais were defined. In the second step, the features of each caravanserai in terms of its construction or restoration date were explained. In the third step, the form and function of each caravanserai were discussed. In the last step, the similarities and differences between the caravanserais of Iran and Anatolia were identified. To conclude, according to our study, interior spaces and the function of caravanserais in both regions are largely similar, whereas the plan design and space organization are different.