Çakırsazhan Caravanserai

Built sometime in the 14th or early 15th century, Çakırsazhan Caravanserai is a rather small addition to the incredible network of trade routes and fortified inns (Caravanserai or Han, sometimes Khan) that were built by the Seljuk rulers of Anatolia and their successors. The builders of Çakırsazhan Caravanserai were the Germiyanids, one of the powers to grow up following the collapse of the Seljuks. This han served travelers making the journey between Kütahya, the Germiyanid capital, and Afyonkarahisar along with the nearby Eğret Han.

Until it was restored in 2007 Çakırsazhan Caravanserai was in a state of ruin, with many of its walls completely collapsed.

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Çakırsazhan Caravanserai was built as a single covered space beneath three vaulted aisles fronted by a single, large crown portal. The inscription that would usually be mounted above the doorway has been lost, leaving the exact date of its construction something of a mystery.

The crown portal consists of a large archway of brick and stone above the door itself. The face of the wall above the door is decorated with a pattern of 6-pointed stars made with white hexagons and brick triangles.

On the exterior there are small traces of older, reused stone elements though they are few and the walls were almost completely rebuilt after they had collapsed. At the rear of the Caravanserai there are a pair of tall triangular buttresses supporting the two rows of arches that support the vaulted roof.

Inside there are some fine pieces of old Greek masonry, some simple architectural elements and grave markers. There used to be more carved stones like these but they were destroyed by looters hoping to find treasure behind the fine stones.