“All that is Needed to Refresh the Traveler”: Building Caravanserais in Anatolia

Anyone who has traveled across North Africa, the Middle East, or Central Asia has most likely passed by the remains of a caravanserai. Historians debate when these buildings were first built, but they were common along the overland trade routes of Afroeurasia. Caravanserai is the generic term for these structures. They are also known as funduqs, khans (hans), and wikala. The design and size of the buildings vary widely, so they often don’t look the same. The Wikipedia page for caravanserais contains many photos. Caravanserais flourished from c.700 to c.1700, but why did so many different individuals and rulers build them?

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