Zein-o-Din Caravanserai of Mehriz

Mehriz County of Yazd Province, which is located 30 km from Yazd City houses many historical monuments including the beautiful Zein-o-Din Caravanserai. This caravanserai is one of the caravanserais built during the Safavid era (1501 to 1736 AD) to accommodate caravans and secure trade between different cities of Iran. According to a tradition that is popular among the people of Mehriz, Zein-o-Din caravanserai also used to be the place for Musketeers of the Iranian army during that era.

The History of Zein-o-Din Caravanserai

The construction of this caravanserai dates back to the 16th century and during the reign of the Safavid king Shah Abbas I (who reigned from 1587 to 1629). According to some historical books, Shah Abbas and Zein-o-Din Ganj Ali Khan, the then ruler of Kerman, stayed in this caravanserai for some time. The caravanserai was renovated between 2001 and 2003 AD. The fundamental method of reviving and restoring this caravanserai with traditional materials was so remarkable that UNESCO honored its restorers with a diploma of honor in 2006.

Features of Zein-o-Din Caravanserai

Since almost all other Iranian caravanserais were built with a rectangular or square plan, the circular architecture of Zein-o-Din Caravanserai has made its architecture outstanding. The diameter of the area where the caravanserai is built is 46 meters. The building has five towers and 12 porches and halls with vaulted roofs. The towers were used as a place for guarding the caravanserai and guiding the caravans by lighting fires at night.

A 12-sided courtyard is located in the middle of the caravanserai and the entire structure of the caravanserai was decorated by keeping in view the shape of this 12-sided yard. Brick, clay abode, and mud were the main materials used for constructing this caravanserai. The height of the walls of the building is about eight meters and its required water was supplied from a spring located near the caravanserai. This spring is still boiling and watering the trees that have grown near the caravanserai.

The entrance of the caravanserai is located in the southern part of it and is decorated with a beautiful portal, which leads to a vestibule. After passing through this vestibule, the large courtyard of the caravanserai appears, the special shape and the pond located in the middle of it have made its view very beautiful and eye-catching. There are several porches around the yard, which were built at a height above the level of the yard. At the end of the porches are the rooms of the caravanserai. While these porches were a place for caravans to rest, at times they were used as a place to trade goods. There are wide and long corridors behind the rooms that lead to the stables.

It seems that the northern part of this complex was, in fact, an alcove that was used for accommodating important officials and influential people. The high ceiling and plaster decorations of this room distinguish it from other parts. The alcove is located behind the porch and eight-sided rooms can be seen in it. There are also two vaulted rooms in this area. A part of the alcove is now used as a dining hall and another part of it is dedicated to the display of hand-woven carpets and beautiful backrest cushions.

One of the remarkable features of Zein-o-Din Caravanserai is the parallelism of its two eastern and western parts. The presence of congresses, which were probably used to monitor the surrounding areas, along with the high towers and the walls as well as their brick facade, has added to the beauty of this caravanserai. A number of staircases connect the courtyard to the roof of the caravanserai from several directions. In the desert nights, being on the roof of the caravanserai and watching the many stars creates an indescribable feeling.

National and international registration of the Zein-o-Din Caravanserai

Zein-o-Din Caravanserai of Mehriz was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1972 AD and, thereafter, it was included in the world inscribed - along with 53 other buildings under the title of “Iranian Caravanserai” - as world heritage at the 45th meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the year 2023 AD.