Büyük Han (Karawanserei)

The Karavanserei Büyük Han is located in the Turkish-occupied north of Nicosia (there called Lefkoşa). It was built in 1572, shortly after the conquest of the island by the Ottomans. On the ground floor there was the place for the animals and small shops, at the top were the sleeping quarters of the travelers

Municipal trading place built by the Ottomans.

There are many restaurants and shops in here today. You can dine well here.

The Büyük Han caravanserai is located in the Turkish-occupied north of Nicosia (there called Lefkoşa). It was built in 1572, shortly after the island was conquered by the Ottomans, and is generally regarded as the oldest Turkish building on the island. At that time, caravanserais mainly served as hostels for travelers. With their thick walls, the buildings were safe from robbers, so you didn't have to be afraid of cattle and merchandise. The Büyük Han (Han is the Turkish word for caravanserai) has a two-story structure, as was common at the time. The place for the animals and small shops were on the ground floor, and the travelers' bedrooms were upstairs. The large courtyard served as a trading center for numerous goods from near and far.Today the fully renovated Büyük Han is a popular destination for visitors to the northern part of the Cypriot capital. Where there used to be accommodation and stables, today there are small shops, where mainly handicrafts are offered, as well as a tea room and a very popular restaurant right to the entrance, where sometimes there is hardly any space at peak times. The Büyük Han successfully bridges the gap between exciting history and modern commercial tourism. When visiting Nicosia or Lefkoşa, you should not miss the caravanserai.zypern.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/alte-geschichte/karawanserei-bueyuek-han