When we went over to the Turkish side of Nicosia, I saw some beautiful architecture. One of these beautiful buildings was the Buyuk Han, or the Big Inn. This inn was built during the Turkish period in 1572. It is located in a traditional market center and was commissioned by the governor-general at the time. It was originally built to provide a place for travelers to stay. It was originally called “The Alanyalilar’s Han” but when another, smaller inn was built the local’s began calling it Buyuk Han. The inn was built very similarly to those in Anatolian cities, as Anatolian travelers were an intended consumer base. The Buyuk Han is a two story building with 68 rooms that open to the courtyard in the center. The han also contains 10 shops that open to the streets outside the han. There is a fountain in the center that was previously used for ritual ablutions, an Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body. The architecture of the han includes many archways, including the doorways and windows on the first floor rooms and the doorways of the second floor rooms. All of the rooms also include a hearth. On top of beautiful architecture, the Buyuk Han gives and interesting look at the culture of the time, especially those from Anatolia.

~ Apollo Blue