Gelendost Ertokuş Hanı

The han, located within the borders of Gelendost District and referred to in publications as Ertokuş Hanı or Gelendost Hanı, stands on the eastern shore of Eğirdir Lake and on the historic caravan route connecting Eğirdir to Konya.

Built on a rectangular ground plan extending in the north-south direction, the han consists of courtyard and covered/shelter sections. Entered through a low-arched doorway in the portal at the center of the south façade, which appears to have been designed as a deep niche with a pointed arch, the courtyard is surrounded along its east and west sides by semi-open spaces covered with pointed barrel vaults arranged opposite each other; during restoration work, remains of an octagonal pool were encountered in the middle of the courtyard. The two symmetrical and independent spaces at the south-east and south-west corners of the courtyard consist of two rooms each, opening onto a shared corridor covered with a pointed barrel vault. One of the two adjoining rooms at the south-east corner is a small space covered with a pointed barrel vault. The other space at the east end of the corridor is a domed room that probably served as a mescit in the past; the dome load is localized by squinches at the upper corners of the walls. One of the two adjoining rooms at the south-west corner is also a small space covered with a pointed barrel vault; the other space at the west end of the corridor is rectangular in plan and covered with a pointed barrel vault.

The rectangular covered/shelter section on the north wing of the courtyard is divided into three naves with pointed barrel vaults, with the central axis being wider, by four T-shaped piers; in excavations carried out during restoration work, the stone benches between the piers were also uncovered. It is understood that the masonry buttresses supporting the covered/shelter section from the middle of the east and west façades and from the north-east and north-west corners are the result of physical interventions made in later periods.

Dressed stone, rubble stone, and brick were used in the construction of the han. From the work carried out on the structure, it has been understood that the covered/shelter section of the han belongs to the first construction phase and that the courtyard on the south wing and the semi-open and enclosed spaces around the courtyard were added in a later construction phase. According to the four-line marble inscription written in thuluth script on the portal of the covered/shelter section, the han was commissioned by Mübârizeddîn Ertokuş in 1203/04.

Source: Konya Selçuklu Belediyesi

Places to Visit in Isparta Address: Yeşilköy Mevkii Gelendost / ISPARTA