Caravansersai

As I mentioned in a previous post, caravanserai dot the countryside, either in ruins, in some partial state of repair, or completely rehabilitated as a guest house or hotel for travelers. Many are from the Safavid Dynasty, 17th century, as Shah Abbas set out to build 999 of them along the Silk Road(s) to encourage traders to bring their wares through Iran.

As you can see from the plan to the left, there was only one entrance to the courtyard. Shops and storerooms faced the courtyard and the corridors and arcades on the inside were used as housing for travelers.