Sultan Han (Kayseri)

{{short description|Caravanseri in Turkey}} {{For|the building of the same name in Aksaray province|Sultan Han}} [[File:Sultanhanı (Kayseri) -1.jpg|thumb|Courtyard of the caravanserai, with the elevated prayer room in the center]] '''Sultan Han''' is a historic [[Sultanate of Rum|Seljuk]]-era [[caravanserai]] in [[Turkey]], located 47 km northeast of [[Kayseri]] on the road to [[Sivas]], in an area also known as Tuzhisar.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Sultanhanı Kervansarayı|url=http://www.kayseri.gov.tr/sultanhani-kervansarayi|access-date=2020-07-04|website=www.kayseri.gov.tr}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Sultan Han Kayseri|url=http://www.turkishhan.org/sultankayseri.htm|access-date=2020-07-04|website=www.turkishhan.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Municipality|first=Selcuklu|title=SULTAN HAN, TUZHİSAR|url=http://www.selcuklumirasi.com/architecture-detail/sultan-han-tuzhisar|access-date=2020-07-04|website=www.selcuklumirasi.com|language=en}}</ref> It was built between 1232 and 1237 CE by [[Sultan]] [[Kayqubad I|Ala ad-Din Kayqubad I]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Sultan Han|url=https://archnet.org/sites/4146|access-date=2020-07-04|website=Archnet}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

== Description == The caravanserai covers an area of 3,900 square meters, making it the second-largest medieval caravanserai in Turkey after the other [[Sultan Han]] near [[Aksaray]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> Like other Seljuk caravanserais, it served as a stop for travelers and merchants along the major trade routes of the region, providing lodging and other basic services.<ref name=":2" />

{{multiple image | align = | image1 = Sultanhanı (247662348).jpg | alt1 = A large stone gate with stone-carved decoration | caption1 = Entrance portal of the winter hall | image2 = Sultanhanı (Kayseri) -2.jpg | caption2 = Interior of the winter hall | alt2 = A long stone chamber with a curved vaulted roof and other rooms opening on either side | footer = | total_width = 400 }}

It shares a similar layout to the other Sultan Han. Its exterior has a fortified appearance and the entrance is marked by a monumental portal with rich stone-carved decoration including a vaulted canopy of ''[[muqarnas]]''. This entrance leads to a large interior courtyard surrounded by [[Arcade (architecture)|arcades]], at the middle of which is a small square stone chamber elevated on four pillars, which served as a small [[mosque]]. Opposite the entrance, at the other end of the courtyard, is another portal which leads to the "winter hall": a main vaulted [[nave]] with a central dome (marked by a conical roof on the outside), from which other vaulted chambers open on either side.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> [[File:Sultanhanı (Kayseri) -5.jpg|thumb|[[Downspout]] in the shape of a lion's head]] The building also contains notable examples of Seljuk stone-carved animal motifs, including [[Downspout|drain spouts]] resembling lion heads and serpentine dragon motifs along the lower arches of the elevated mosque in the courtyard.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{Cite journal |last=Yavuz |first=Aysil Tükel |date=1997 |title=The Concepts that Shape Anatolian Seljuq Caravanserais |url=https://www.archnet.org/publications/4687 |journal=Muqarnas |volume=14 |pages=80-95}} *{{Cite web |last=Ayşe |first=Denknalbant |date=2009 |title=SULTAN HANI |url=https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/sultan-hani--kayseri |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=İslâm Ansiklopedisi |publisher=Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı |language=tr}} *{{Cite book |last=Gierlichs |first=Joachim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=huOBwihhwyQC |title=Islam: Art and Architecture |publisher=h.f.ullmann |year=2011 |isbn=9783848003808 |editor-last=Hattstein |editor-first=Markus |location= |pages=375–376 |language=en |chapter=Anatolian Seljuks; Architecture |editor-last2=Delius |editor-first2=Peter}} *{{Cite book |last=Hillenbrand |first=Robert |title=Islamic Architecture: Form, function, and meaning |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=1994 |isbn=9780231101332 |location=New York |pages=347–350 |language=en}} *{{Cite book |last=Ettinghausen |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l1uWZAzN_VcC |title=Islamic Art and Architecture: 650–1250 |last2=Grabar |first2=Oleg |last3=Jenkins-Madina |first3=Marilyn |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2001 |isbn=9780300088670 |edition=2nd |pages=240–242 |language=en}}

== External links == {{Commons category-inline}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century]] [[Category:Buildings and structures of the Sultanate of Rum]] [[Category:Caravanserais in Turkey]] [[Category:Anatolian Seljuk architecture]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Kayseri Province]]