Büyük Han

Welcome to Büyük Han, the Great Inn!
Behold the beauty of this building! It dates back to mid 16th century when the Ottomans built it. Look around you and you will spot the typical architecture of the Ottoman era, and if you look at the courtyard you can see that there is a mosque and a fountain for people to wash their hands and feet in before prayer. This was a very important place in the era of the Ottomans, as it was the largest caravanserai or khan on the island of Cyprus. Caravanserai was the typical inn of the time, where travelers would stop for the night to rest, exchange information and trade things on their way. You could say it was the best place to do business networking in the 16th century and a couple of hundred years onward. Check out the structure of the building! The upper floor was where the guests would be lodged, and each and every one of the rooms had a fireplace with an octagonal chimney in it! On the ground floor you would find shops, offices and storage for the travelers. You can only imagine the hustle and bustle, caravans, camels parked around the place, people telling each other news from near and far, the commerce loud and cheerful all around the little shops and on the square.

After its glory days as a caravanserai this building was turned into a prison under the British rule, and later it was converted to a hostel for the poor. Today the beautiful building is actually an arts center and gallery, so feel free to enter and enjoy some fine works in the several workshops! If you feel like relaxing in the shade for a bit in this historical and peaceful environment you can always have a coffee in one of the several cafes around the courtyard. There are also several souvenir shops if you haven’t yet bought gifts for your friends at home!

Photo Nicosia Buyuk Han 02 by MatthiasKabel is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0