CARAVANSARAY

YEAR=NOVEMBER 1999, QUANTITY: 2.000.000<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

VALUES=30&60 UNITS, PRINTING= SWISSCARD.

EMPTY AND CLEAN PHONECARDS.

The caravansaries are today's hotels. Europeans established the first hotel in 1750 and the Turks established caravansaries in Anatolia in the 11th century. The distance between the caravansaries was determined depending on  how far a caravan would go in one day. There were dormitories with fireplaces, cellars, stables, repair shops, blacksmith's, baths, water-tanks, hospitals, small mosques and coffee-houses in the caravansaries. The caravansaries were managed by an administrative board consisting of 3 persons, and all the services given were free of charge without distinction of religion and race.

SULTANHANI; It is on the Konya-Aksaray road and 40 kilometres from Aksaray. Alaaddin Keykubat I had Muhammed Bin Havlan el-Dimaski built it in 1229. It is the biggest and the most beautiful one in all Seljuk caravansaries.

ŞARAPSA CARAVANSARY; The caravansary is on the Antalya-Alanya road. It was built by Giyasuddin Keyhusrev II (son of the Alaaddin Keykubat I) between 1236 and 1245.

ÖRESUN CARAVANSARY; The caravansary is on the Aksaray-Kayseri road. As it did not have any inscriptions, its construction date is not exacty known. The caravansary was built in small size without courtyard, and today it gives the impression of a mysterious place.

ERTOKUS CARAVANSARY; The caravansary is on the Eğridir-Konya road. It was built by Mubarizuddin Ertokuş in 1223, and it is a simple and stone building.