SILKROAD

The development of the tourism industry has played an important part in the economy of the world in recent years. The volume of the rapidly developing tourism industry has increased an average of 7.4 percent per year for the last 40 years.

While the tourism industry is developing throughout the world, tourism investments in the Republic of Turkey have also increased. Investments and advertisement have substantially increased tourism in Turkey.

The Turkish Ministry of Tourism functions to promote various types and aspects of tourism throughout the whole country. This is because Turkey is not only a land of sea, sun and sand, but also a treasure house of historical, cultural and natural attractions.

There are many caravansaries on the ancient Silk Road. These Silk Road Caravansaries are one of the most important cultural heritages of Turkey, because the Silk Road connected Europe to Asia not only commercially, but also reflected the culture and religion of various people. Many of the caravansaries have been restored and are open to the public.

The Silk Road played an important role in the freedom of the Turkic Republics in Middle Asia and contributed to their commercial and cultural value. Two caravansaries which were at the beginning of their routes are in Denizli. These are the Ak Han and Cardak Han Caravansaries.

Ak Han Caravansary: It is located at the entrance of Ak Han village, at about the 7th km of the Denizli-Afyon Highway. It is one of the last caravansaries of the Anatolian Seljuks on the west. It looks like the Sultan Hans only smaller.

Ak Han has two inscriptions. The indoor parts of the Han were completed in 1253, and the garden was completed in 1254. Ak Han was built by Governor Seyfettin Karasungur bin Abdullah. Izzettin Keykavus’ name is mentioned in the inscription. Its outdoor section does not have a symmetrical plan. It has a square garden and a deep rectangular hole. That part of the structure covers 1100 square meters. The indoor part is symmetrical along its longitudinal axis and is divided into three courtyards. The central courtyard is wider and higher and is covered by domes. A low arch extends half a meter outward to form an entranceway which leads to a portal surrounded with niches like pointed arches. The inscription found above the door and the door itself are quite simple in design.

The right side of the open courtyard has two storage rooms, one antechamber, and two enclosed units while the other side has a portico and enclosed spaces together at the corner and forms two spaces with arches.

The entrance to the building’s courtyard has impressive geometric and pictorial ornamentation. The most important decorations of the portal rival those of the Konya-Karatay Han. Deer, sphinxes, birds, eagles, lions, and demons with associated animal figures and Swastika motifs make this a rich piece of decoration. The Han is constructed of worked stone, although the stone in the enclosed part and the east part of the courtyard don’t show very careful workmanship. The original smooth marble facing is only found on the south and west parts of the courtyard, the internal part of the walls also consist of rough worked stone. There are reused stones taken from other structures both inside and outside the building.

Cardak Han Caravansary : The Han is just outside sub-provincial center of Cardak on the left side of The Denizli-Afyon Road. According to the seven-lined inscription above the door, the Han was built by order of Esedettin Ayaz Bin Abdullah El Sahabi by his freed slaves in the time of Alaeddin Keykubat. It appears to have been completed in 1230 in the month of Ramadan. The Han faces exactly from east to west with a large, square courtyard divided into six sections with five courtyards and a hole.

The Han was known as ‘Hanabat’ when it was a part of the sub-province of Dinar. Our sources indicate that it was used as a store during the war of independence.

travertines | denizli rooster | folklore | legends | festivals | climate

sports and tourism >> hunting | water sports | parapanthing | bicycle tours | fishing | winter sports | cave tourism | river tourism | trekking | cultural tourism |
faith tourism | thermal tourism | eco tourism | youth tourism | convention tourism

ancient cities >> hierapolis - laodikya - tripolis - colossae - eumania - heraklia salbace - tabae - dianisopolis - apollon temple - sebastopolis - anava
trapezapolis - attuda - apollonia salbace

museums >> ethnography - archeology

home page >>