Khargushi Caravanserai: A Safavid Roadside Inn in Iran
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.5
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Iran
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Safavid
- Site type
- Economic
- Remains
- Caravanserai
History
Khargushi Caravanserai is a Safavid-period roadside inn in Iran, opened in 1614 along the route between Nodushan in Yazd Province and Varzaneh in Isfahan Province. Caravanserais provided lodging and services for merchants, travelers, and their pack animals on long-distance roads. The building stands in the Aqda district of Ardakan County, Yazd Province, about 60 kilometers along this route, and reflects the architectural patronage associated with the Safavid dynasty, which ruled Iran from the sixteenth to the early eighteenth century.
Known locally as Khargushi Fortress, the building has a square plan measuring approximately 80 by 80 meters, giving it a stated area of 6,400 square meters. Its Safavid architectural style uses granite and tile among the listed construction materials. On 22 February 1999, Khargushi Caravanserai was registered as one of Iran’s national monuments under registration number 2236.