Rüstem Pasha Caravansarai, Edirne

The huge building just south of Eski Cami is the caravansarai of Rüstem Pasha — grand vezir and son-in-law of Süleyman, husband of Mihrimah Sultan — built by Sinan in 1560–1 ¹.

The structure has two sections of different plan and function: the larger northern Büyük Han was a warehouse where Edirne's merchants stored and sold goods, while the smaller southern Küçük Han was a travellers' hospice; both are two-storeyed around porticoed courtyards ². The Büyük Han's courtyard has eight lateral and six longitudinal bays ringed by 73 rooms — 35 barrel-vaulted below, 38 domed above — fronted by street shops; the Küçük Han kept its kitchen, service areas and a great stable of twin barrel-vaulted aisles on the ground floor, with 25 vaulted guest rooms above ².

• Source read: Freely, A History of Ottoman Architecture (2011), pp. 99–100 (Caravansarai of Rüstem Pasha).
• Record created in this batch.