Shah Sefi's Caravanserai
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| Shah Sefi's Caravanserai | |
|---|---|
Şah Səfi karvansarası | |
.jpg) | |
 Interactive map of the Shah Sefi's Caravanserai area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Caravanserai |
| Location | Balaxanı, Azerbaijan |
Shah Sefi's Caravanserai is a historical and architectural monument of the 17th century located in the village of Balakhani. It was built in 1635-1636 by the master Burkhan and the sarkar Behbud at the order of the Safavid ruler Shah Sefi I.
Shah Sefi's caravanserai on the plan represent an elongated rectangle with an aspect ratio of approximately 1:3. The caravanserai's entrance is oriented to the north-east.
Shah Sefi's caravanserai was built in 1635-1636 by the master Burkhan and the sarkar Behbud at the order of the Safavid ruler Shah Sefi I. The caravanserai, called by the local population the Palace of Haja Ruhulla, is located in the centre of the village. During the years of the Soviet occupation, the caravanserai was used as a warehouse for a long time.[1] In the first years of Azerbaijan's independence, a restaurant functioned there.[1] Then, as a result of the village's residents' efforts, the premises of the caravanserai were cleared, and landscaping work was carried out around it.[2]
There was a kitabe on the arched wooden door of this historical monument. Nowadays, it is no longer there, but the photographic negative is stored in the scientific archive of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Science of Azerbaijan under the name “Shah Sefi's Caravanserai” as the inventory No 68-14.[2]
In 1968–1969, restoration works were carried out there.