Sharavsin caravanserai or Sharapsa Khan was built in the middle of 13th century (in 1236-1246) on the Great Silk Road, on the initiative of Giyaseddin Keyhusrev II - son of Sultan Alladin Keykubat I, in order to join Alania to the capital of Seljuk state of Konya. Since then, it has served as a roadside inn has served as a roadside inn where traders and travellers could rest and water their horses. It is located fifteen kilometres from Alanya.
Caravanserai - in many Turkic languages means caravan house - is a large public structure in Asia, in cities, on roads and in out-of-town areas, serving as shelter and stopping place for travelers, usually traders.
Caravanserais in Turkey come in two types: open and closed. Of the closed kind they were mostly built along caravan routes, although they were often found in roadside towns. The walls were built in such a way so that they could fend off attack and withstand a short siege. They were mostly square or rectangular in shape, with an open courtyard and a well in the middle. Inside, there were rooms for accommodation and storage rooms for goods. There is also an obligatory a corral for pack animals. There are one and two-storey caravanserais. В two-storey caravanserais on the second floor had living quarters, and on the ground floor warehouses and pens for animals.
Caravanserais, located between Konya and the south coast, mainly consist of courtyards surrounded by a canopy and covered rooms. On the endless Anatolia's roads, they stood like fortresses. With thick walls like fortress walls, and towers, these caravanserais were important places for the for travelling merchants. In the architecture of these buildings, the influence of Christianity.
Sharapsa Khan covers an area of almost 1 hectare and is a gated community. It with its whole appearance looks like an ancient fortress. And there is a reason for that - because attacks on roadside inns by bandits were not uncommon in those days. It has an unusual building plan. The walls of the rectangular courtyard, measuring 15x71m, are made of huge stones and limestone and are supported by buttresses. These buttresses of large carved stones divide it into nine parts. The portal, located at the southern wall, reflects Seljuk art. The doors of the caravanserai are framed by arches, one of which covers its roof. On one One of the arches has an inscription in Arabic that states when and by whom the caravanserai was built. A small square room in the eastern part of the building is the caravanserai's the mosque of the caravanserai. Inside, there's one long hall and a number of wells. well rooms. The building is quite imposing. After standing for almost eight centuries, it hasn't has not suffered much damage from time, the ancients were skilful architects after all.
In addition to the fact that Sharapsa Khan is quite well preserved, a local entrepreneur bought it and restored the building. Today, this widely famous medieval inn is open as an entertainment centre. There are numerous restaurants and stalls selling souvenirs, fruit and loukoum. In one of these restaurants there is a show called "Turkish Night". There is a small mosque next to the caravan.
