Sultanhani Caravanserai

Sultanhani caravanserai is the largest and best preserved Seljuk caravanserai in Turkey. Dominating the modern highway between Konya and Aksaray in Central Anatolia, this monumental edifice was built to protect merchants travelling along the ancient Silk Route.

Built 1229 by Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I when Aksaray was an important stopover between Europe and the East, the monumental caravanserai resembles more an ornate castle than the humble roadside inn its name suggests.

The vast interior is split into summer and winter residences; the summer a huge open courtyard encircled by storage rooms, stalls and kitchens; the winter a covered courtyard that sheltered men and beasts.

With its intricate stone work and imposing scale, Sultanhani caravanserai offers a fascinating window into the golden past of the old Silk Road.