preservation

The Seljuk Han of Anatolia

Preservation and conservation

The current state of hans is quite varied.

In ruins

Some hans are abandoned and in ruins. They stand with wild weeds filling their courtyards, domes collapsed or with gaping holes in their walls. It is still possible in many cases to determine the plan type. Viewing these proud sentinals today is often a touching experience. One can suppose that many were abandoned when the trade routes changed with the advent of the Ottoman empire shifting its trade focus westwards, or, quite simply, because the water source dried up. It is often difficult to establish correct plans for some of these hans, where often only a wall remains. In general, the courtyards are in worse condition than the covered sections.

Lost

A considerable number of hans have been lost. They are known via travel journals, historical documents or other writings, but all physical traces have since disappeared.

Destroyed

Many hans were also destroyed for profit, with the stones being sold for reuse building materials or as collectible antiques. Another tragic consequence is the disappearance of a han due to the flooding of a dam project, as was the case of the Altinapa Han on the Konya-Beyşehir Road, covered over by the lake created by the construction of the Altinapa Dam in 1967.

In good condition

Many hans remain in good condition. Generally, when a han was used as a barn, granary or warehouse, they were better protected.

Restored for reuse

Many have been restored to be used as other buildings or to maintain their cultural heritage as museum sites run by the Turkish government (The Sultan Hans of Kayseri and Aksaray, Ağzikara Han). Unfortunately, some have been over-restored, often masking the original details and plan (Durağan, Sari).

Many Seljuk hans have been restored and reused as they were originally intended, or, modified to suit contemporary needs. The Durağan Han is being readied for use as a commercial shopping center, the Horozlu Han is now a tourist restaurant, the Kesikköprü Han is used by the municipality for civic events, and the Sari Han is now a mixed-use cultural center.