Kiziloren Han

The Seljuk Han of Anatolia

KIZILOREN HAN

Overview of the mosque of the han

Main portal of the mosque with triple arch decoration

Han

Han

Interior courtyard cells and portal leading to covered section, now collapsed

Interior courtyard cells, looking towards main entrance

DISTRICT (IL)
42 KONYA

LOCATION
The han is situated 44 km (30 miles) from Konya along the Konya-Beyşehir Road. It is one of the series of at least 4 hans originally along this stretch of road.

[map]

OTHER NAMES
Kizilviran, Önu, Emir Kandemir or Yazı Han.
The name means The "Red Ruins Han", probably due to the fact that the stone has a distinctive reddish cast.

DATE
1205-6 (dated by inscription)
The inscription plaque over the hall door reads: "Built in the reign of Keykhosrow ibn Kilic Arslan by his Emir in the year 602". This makes this han the earliest dated Seljuk han.

REIGN OF

Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev I

PATRON
An emir of Keyhüsrev, son of Kiliç Arslan, probably the Emir Qayamokh Bey, known as Kutluğ ibn Mehmed.

BUILDING TYPE

Covered with open courtyard (COC)
Covered section smaller than the courtyard
Covered section with 3 parallel aisles running perpendicular to the back wall
6 bays of vaults in the central aisle; 3 in the side aisles

DESCRIPTION
The han "complex" comprises the han, an outer gatehouse and a mosque. It lies parallel to the road, with the door facing Konya.

This han is the first example of the most frequent type of plan, that of a hall with a wider courtyard. This han and the han of Altinapa, both along the Konya-Beyşehir road, are the earliest examples of this hall/courtyard plan.

There were 3 rooms in total on the upper floor over the entry. This han can be regarded as one of the first experiments in a modest scale of the placing of the mosque room above the entrance porch, reached by steps leading upwards.

Originally there was another separate building 400 m to the south-east, measuring 15 X 21m, with 2 vaults in its roof. It appears to have been a gatehouse, and had two storeys.

The mosque building, still standing, comprises two aisles.

Approximately 6 km further is a Seljuk Bridge over the Sari Su.

There does not appear to be an immediate water source nearby.

It is curious that there were so many hans along this relatively short stretch of road, each at a short distance from the other. This must have been a heavily used commercial route, which is understandable since it fed into the capital city of Konya.

DECORATION

There is no decoration on the portal, except for the the strong, attractive triple row of arches.

DIMENSIONS
Total area: 1,200m2
Area of hall: 330 m2
Area of courtyard: 565 m2

STATE OF CONSERVATION, CURRENT USAGE
In need of repair, but the walls are in good shape. It currently stands empty.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Altun, p. 200
Bektaş, p. 79-81
Erdmann, p. 45-49, no. 9 (Note: Erdmann calls this han the Onu Han)

Kuban, p. 239
Rice, p. 205
Unsal, p. 48