The Seljuk Han of Anatolia   

EGRIDIR HAN 

DISTRICT (IL)
32 ISPARTA

LOCATION
This han is located in the town on Eğridir at the south of the lake of the same name.  It is located approximately 3 km outside of town on the Gelendost-Akşehir road, just beyond the Bone Hospital.

[map]

DATE
1237-38

Due to its impressive size, this han must be considered as a commission from the Sultan, either Alaeddin Keykubad I or more probably, his son Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II.
 

PATRON

Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II
 

BUILDING TYPE

Covered with courtyard (COC)
Covered section smaller than the courtyard
Covered section with a middle aisle and 2 rows of side aisles
7 bays of vaults in covered section

1 arcade of open vaults on the southern side of the courtyard
 

DESCRIPTION
The han faces west towards Lake Eğirdir.  It was the last han on the Konya-Eğirdir route, which then linked down to Antalya and the coast.

Although the han is now in ruins, the plan can be ascertained.  It consists of a very large courtyard with a single row of 7 open cells to the southern side.  The hall is smaller than the courtyard, and comprises 3 aisles.

There are 6 corner towers and 14 side towers. 

Both portals have been lost.

DECORATION

If the spolia from this han now incorporated into the city walls is any indication, the portal of the han must have included many decorative elements such as trellis work, blossoms, arabesques, polygons and braids.

DIMENSIONS
Total area: 1,640 m2
Area of hall: 1,290m2
Area of courtyard: 1,640m2
This is a very large han, with a size comparable with the Sultan Hans of Kayseri and Aksaray.  When built, it would have been the third largest han in Anatolia.

STATE OF CONSERVATION, CURRENT USAGE
The han has been pillaged for many years for other building projects.  Some 25 stone fragments from it have been incorporated into the city wall next to the Dündar Bey Medrese. 

The han is in a completely ruined state and is currently (2006) undergoing a major archeological excavation led by the Isparta Museum.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Erdmann, p. 125-6, no. 33
Rice, p. 206

sign for current research project	general overview of dig and collapsed covered section to rear
general overview of dig with collapsed covered section	overview of city wall next to the Dündar Bey Medrese, with reuse spolia from the han

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