Khan al-Umdan, Ottoman caravanserai in Acre, Israel
Khan al-Umdan is a two-story caravanserai built around a central courtyard with a well and supported by 40 granite columns that hold up its arches. The covered galleries on all sides provide shelter, while the strong columns create the main structural framework throughout the building.
Built in 1785 under Ahmed Jezzar Pasha, this structure replaced an earlier customs building from the Crusader period. The new caravanserai reflected Ottoman control over trade routes and the reshaping of the port city under Ottoman governance.
Traders from across the Mediterranean region gathered here to buy, sell, and exchange goods, making it a vibrant marketplace. The covered courtyard and surrounding rooms created spaces where people conducted business and built trading relationships.
Located near the port in the Old City, the site can be entered from the east side facing the market or from the west side leading to the harbor. Its central location makes it easy to combine a visit with exploring the surrounding lanes and alleys.
The 40 granite columns were transported from ancient Caesarea and repurposed for this structure. These stones, originally part of older buildings, were salvaged and rebuilt here, creating a physical link between different periods of the region's past.
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