Kurşunlu Han, Ottoman caravanserai near Ankara Castle, Turkey
Kurşunlu Han is a 15th-century caravanserai in the historic center of Ankara, built around a rectangular open courtyard with two floors of rooms framed by rounded brick arches and stone walls. Every room faces the courtyard, giving the whole compound a closed, self-contained layout that once served both as a warehouse and a lodging place for traveling merchants.
Construction started in 1471 under Grand Vizier Rum Mehmed Pasha, during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II. Over the following centuries, the compound grew into one of the main stops along the trade routes crossing Anatolia.
The name translates roughly as "lead caravanserai" in Turkish, a reference to the lead-covered roofs that once topped the building. Walking through the arched passages today, you can still picture how merchants gathered here to trade and rest between long journeys.
The building stands in Ankara's old quarter, close to the castle, so it fits naturally into a walk through the historic part of town. Visiting in the morning tends to give you more space to look around without interruption.
During repair work in 1946, coins from the reign of Sultan Murad II were found on the site, predating the current structure. This suggests the spot was already in use before 1471, when the main building went up.
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