karwansar

Karwansar is a term used for caravanserai, historic roadside inns that accommodated traveling merchants and their caravans along major trade routes in the Islamic world, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. The word derives from Persian kārvān-sarā, meaning "caravan house," with cognates in Turkish kervansaray and related languages.

Origins trace to the 9th century on the eastern margins of the Islamic world, with a growth in the 12th to 17th centuries along the Silk Road and other overland corridors. Caravanserais provided shelter, security, and essential services for both people and animals, including stables, kitchens, wells, and storage, often around a large central courtyard.

Architectural layouts typically feature a fortified exterior with a monumental entry, a spacious inner courtyard, and a two- or three-story range of guest rooms facing the courtyard, plus stables and service facilities in the rear. The design aimed to accommodate caravans of camels and horses, protect valuables, and enable efficient provisioning.

Geographically, caravanserais were built across Iran, Anatolia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, reflecting the reach of historic trade networks. In the modern era, many karwansars lie in ruins, but a number have been restored and repurposed as boutique hotels, museums, or cultural centers, helping preserve a key facet of regional heritage.

Karwansar illustrates how architecture supported commerce and cultural exchange along long-distance trade routes, leaving a lasting imprint on the urban and rural landscapes of Eurasia.