Aruch Caravansarai
| Aruch Caravansarai | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Aruch Caravansarai | |
| General information | |
| Location | Aruch, Armenia |
| Coordinates | 40°18′15″N 44°04′38″E / 40.30411°N 44.07723°E |
| Year built | 13th century |
| Renovated | 1960 |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Stone |
| Size | 450 m2 |
The Aruch Caravansarai is a 13th century caravansarai near Aruch, Armenia.[1] The site is a protected momument.
Description
According to historian Antony Eastmond, the existence of a caravansarai in Aruch dates to the period of the Zakarid dynasty, during which time the Zakarids built a network of Seljuk-inspired caravansarais to draw trade towards Ani.[2] Talin and Chrplu fell into this network alongside Aruch. Historian Anthony Bale described the current structure in Aruch as "beautiful" and built around a central hall where the animals could have been kept. He contrasted this caravansarai with more elaborate examples that accommodate human travelers on higher floors.[3] Other elements of the structure include a single southern entrance, buttressed walls, and arches.[4] Travel writers suggest that the Aruch caravansarai is possibly the most visible in Armenia given its prominent position near the M1 (Armenia) highway.[1]
Architecture
-
Round buttresses
-
Interior arches
-
Entryway
See also
References
- ^ a b Allen, Tom; Holding, Deirdre (2023). Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 199. ISBN 9781784779436.
- ^ Eastmond, Antony (2017). Tamta's World: The Life and Encounters of a Medieval Noblewoman from the Middle East to Mongolia. Cambridge University Press. p. 168. ISBN 9781107167568.
- ^ Bale, Anthony (2024). "10. On the Silk Roads". A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages: The World Through Medieval Eyes. W. W. Norton. ISBN 9781324064589.
- ^ Ferdinandi, Sergio (2022). "The Archaeological Mission of Aruch/Արուճ and the Incastellamento of the Silk Road: Preliminary Remarks". East and West. 3 (62). ISSN 0012-8376.