Sevdili Han

The Seljuk Han of Anatolia

SEVDILLI HAN

Karpuz, Anadolu Selçuklu Eserleri (2008) v.1, p. 402.

photo by Ibrahim Divarci, used by permission

DISTRICT
46 KAHRAMANMARAS

LOCATION

38.251740, 37.545580

The Sevdilli Han is located 38 km from Elbistan in a field near the village of Sevdilli on the Elbistan-Malatya Highway.

Kahramanmaraş was an important town of the Anatolian Seljuks, due to its geographical position and location at a very strategic point of Anatolia. Researchers believe that there were many architectural works built by the Seljuks here, but all have been destroyed. However, there are several hans which remain, including this one, the Kuru, Coğul, Kurttepe, Nurhak, Çevirme, Kamereddin and Hanobaşi hans. This han is located 13 km from the Kurttepe Han.

NAMES

It is also known as the Elbistan-Sevdilli han.

DATE

The construction date is not known but it is believed to have been built in the second quarter of the 13th century, along with the other hans in the Kahramanmaraş region.

BUILDING TYPE

Covered (C) section only.

DESCRIPTION

Only a few foundations can be seen, about 70m high. It is estimated that the han was approximately 21 x 27m in size. The covered section had three naves and three service rooms at the entry, and is believed to have been covered with barrel vaults.

BUILDING MATERIALS

The han was built with rough-cut stones.

EXTERIOR

It has been determined from the remaining traces that there were triangular support buttresses on the eastern and western walls of the covered section.

DIMENSIONS

21 x 27m

STATE OF CONSERVATION, CURRENT USE

After this road fell out of use, the han was left deserted and fell into ruins. Only parts of the foundations walls can be seen.

REFERENCES

Bilici, Z. Kenan. Anadolu Selçuklu Çaği Mirası. Mimarı = Heritage of Anatolian Seljuk Era. Architecture. 3 vols. Ankara: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanlığı: Selçuklu Belediyesi, 2016, vol. 2, p. 107.

Karpuz, H. & Kuş, A. & Dıvarcı, I. & Şimşek, F. Anadolu Selçuklu Eserleri, 2008, v.1, p. 402.

Özkarcı, Mehmet. “Kahramanmaraş’ta Selçuklu Mimarisine Bakiş,” Uluslararasi Selçuklu Döneminde Maraş Sempozunu, 17-19 November, 2016, pp. 14-53.