🏛️ The Persian Caravanserai
Safavid-era roadside inn network on Iran's historic trade routes
📌 Fast Facts
- Network: 54 caravanserais across Iran
- Construction period: 15th to 19th centuries, predominantly Safavid era
- Primary location: Multiple provinces including Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, Qom
- UNESCO inscription: 2023
The Persian Caravanserai is a network of 54 roadside inns distributed across Iran that functioned as rest stations and commercial hubs along historic trade routes. Built primarily during the Safavid dynasty from the 15th to 19th centuries, these structures represent a coordinated system of hospitality architecture spanning thousands of kilometers. As of 2026, the caravanserais remain largely intact, with many accessible to researchers and visitors, and the collection was inscribed as a UNESCO ...