Susuz Han

The Susuz Han is a Seljuk caravanserai south of Burdur in the eponymous Turkish province.

Location

The han is located in the town of Susuz in the district of Bucak of Burdur Province, about ten kilometres south of the district centre Bucak, one kilometre east of the highway D-650 from Afyonkarahisar via Burdur to Antalya. It is the third han on the old road that connected Antalya with Konya, the capital of the Sultanate of Rum Seljuks. Before it lie Evdir Han and Kırkgöz Han. Eleven kilometres further north follows the İncir Han.

Construction history

The caravanserai was probably built during the reign of Sultan Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II from 1237 to 1246. The dating was made on stylistic grounds. The decoration of the portal resembles that of Ağzıkara Han and İncir Han, which points to the second half of the 13th century. Incorporating architectural features, researchers generally attribute the han to this sultan. An inscription, which may have been placed above the door, is now lost. In autumn 2008 excavations were carried out by the Archaeological Museum of Burdur and Selçuk University in Konya. Coins, metal objects and ceramics from various periods were uncovered. From 2009 to 2013 the han was extensively restored.

Description

The west‑oriented han originally consisted of an open courtyard, where services were offered, and a covered part for lodging travelers. Nothing remains of the open part. On the western façade, remnants of connecting walls are visible at three points, indicating an enclosure of the courtyard. On the left side of the façade a row of consoles protrudes from the wall, to which a never‑completed roof may have been intended to attach.

The enclosed part measures about 28 × 30 meters. The interior is divided into three aisles, with the central aisle being significantly narrower. Perpendicular to that, from north to south, the space is divided into five aisles. The aisles are separated by walls interrupted by arches with square pillars. The central aisle and the transverse aisles are barrel-vaulted, forming a dome in the centre over four pendentives. Outside it is surrounded by an octagonal lantern, on which a round dome with shell-like bulges running to the apex rests. The interior is illuminated by twelve windows, one in the dome as well as five slit windows each in the north and south walls and one in the west wall. The outer walls are reinforced by eight towers in various basic shapes, round and polygonal. Two of them are found on the north and south sides, two on the east side and two at the intervening corners.

The impressive portal is richly adorned with high-quality stone masonry. It is framed by several bands with floral and geometric motifs. Above the door, five rows of muqarnas form a pointed arch, which is formed by a finely ornamented band. It rests on two half-columns with double capitals. To the right and left of the door, two niches also equipped with muqarnas face each other. They are enclosed by an arch with serpentine bands, which in turn rests on columns with two superimposed capitals. At the top, the bands each depict two dragons facing each other and holding a round object together in their widely opened mouths. Their tails are intertwined with the wings and connect to the serpentine band. Above the arch apex, two angel figures in high relief can be seen, appearing to glide towards each other. Between the outstretched arms of the angels, a stone has been removed; what was there can no longer be determined.