Imagine a caravan of merchants and camels slogging hundreds of miles across the desert and steppe. They’ve taken great risk hauling expensive goods like silk, honey, and spices. Their feet are blistered. Their eyes sting from the blowing sand. And their camels have begun to grouse.
As shadows grow long and the sun begins to set, the head caravanner searches the horizon and points. In the distance he sees the high stone walls of a caravanserai. To the untrained eye, it looks like a fortress with guards standing at the gates, but this is not a fortress, it’s a roadside inn, a welcoming sight to weary travelers.
On major roads like the Silk Road and the Persian Royal Road, caravanserais were staged a day’s journey apart, roughly every 20-25 miles. They were built in a similar style, with a large center courtyard surrounded by many rooms. Some were simple military outposts set at distant borders, which doubled as a resting spot for travelers. Others, usually near large trade cities, were far grander, consisting of bath houses, prepared meals, and stables for livestock.
Caravanserais provided respite and protection for travelers and livestock along the trade route, contributing to the flow of goods, ideas, and cultures throughout the known world. It was here that people gathered with strangers in the courtyard to break bread, exchange news and stories, and share knowledge.
For an extensive look into the role caravanserais played in history, including photos and maps, check out this link: https://surfiran.com/mag/persian-caravanserai/
