The Seljuk Han of Anatolia
KADIN HAN
 Main entry portal |
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 Inscription plaque (kitabesi) over main portal |
 Central aisle of covered section |
DISTRICT
(IL)
42 KONYA
LOCATION
This han is located on the Akşehir-Konya Road; in the town of Kadinhan.
DATE
1223 (dated by inscription)
REIGN OF
Probably Alaeddin Keykubad I
PATRON
A woman by the name of Ruqiya (or Radija) bint Mahmud. She is
apparently to be identified with Devlet Hatun, presumably a wife or daughter of
Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev
I, and who was the epigraphically attested founder of the Hatuniye Mosque in
Konya.
The inscription plaque provides the date and states that the han is a gift to God from this woman, and implores Him to have pity on her. She died after the construction of the han and is now buried in the garden of the Hatuniye.
BUILDING TYPE
Covered open courtyard (COC)
Covered section smaller than courtyard
3 parallel vaults running perpendicular to the back wall
6 bays of vaults
DESCRIPTION
This han, the "Lady's Han", is named in reference to its patron. It faces west
towards Konya and lies parallel to the
road. The mosque was perhaps located in rooms in the courtyard, but this
courtyard area is now gone. The portal is fairly elaborate, and includes a
recessed arch with the inscription plaque.
DECORATION
There are extensive Byzantine reuse stones (spolia) in this han, notably one on the façade showing two women in robes standing next to a basket. Many of the spolia bear Greek inscriptions and appear to be mostly funerary stones, whereas at Obruk, Zazadin, Eli-Kesik and Kuruçeşme, the spolia is of Byzantine Christian origin. The stones used in the Kadin most probably came from the nearby city of Ladik. Ladik, formerly known as Laodikeia Katakekaumene, was a very important Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator around 300BC. Numerous fragments of ancient architecture and sculpture have been found here, and visitors in the 19th century described seeing inscribed marbles, altars, columns, capitals, friezes, cornices, were dispersed throughout the streets, and among the houses and burying grounds.
DIMENSIONS
Area of hall: 640 m2
STATE OF CONSERVATION, CURRENT USAGE
The courtyard in the front part no longer exists. The han was
used continually from the Karaman period until the late Ottoman era, after which
it fell into disrepair. The han was restored in 1973 and currently
serves as a furniture store.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
Erdmann, p. 49-51, no. 10
Karpuz, Kuş, Dıvarcı and Şimşek (2008), vol. 2, p. 142
Kuş Selçuklu, p. 53-55
Rice, p. 206
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Click on images below for additional views of the han.
Note that the orientation of all spolia is as appears in the han walls (upside down, sideways, etc). (Photos from 2008)
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©2001-2010, Katharine Branning; All Rights Reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced in any form without written consent from the author.
