Eğret Han Caravanserai

Built in the 14th century by the Germiyanids, a principality that grew up out of the remains of the Seljuk Empire, Eğret Han was built to serve caravans traveling along the Silk Road. The Seljuks built a stunning network of roads dotted with Caravanserai that were often beautiful. Following the collapse of Seljuk power, resources were apparently few and the caravanserai built in this period were much smaller and less ornate.

While many Seljuk era hans were built with two parts, a walled outer court and a covered great hall, Eğret Han was designed as a simple heavy stone rectangular room. The interior space is divided by two rows of pillars making for three vaulted aisles, the center being the largest.

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Always the most striking feature of a caravanserai, Eğret Han’s single door is its only artistic feature. The door is flanked by marble columns and topped by an arch. Within the arch is a blank tablet of marble where the inscription regarding the founding of the building would normally be. The inscription stone is either lost or was removed for safe keeping when the building was restored.

There is no immediately obvious spoila, recycled worked stone from earlier periods, as is common in Seljuk era buildings.