Selim Caravanserai

Name: Selim Caravanserai
Monument type: Caravanserai
Region: Vayots Dzor Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Selim caravanserai

Other nomination: –

Monument type: Caravanserai

Region: Vayots Dzor

Community: Aghnjadzor

Residence: Aghnjadzor village

Location: Vardenyats mountain pass, 10 km north of Aghnjadzor

Preservation: Standing

Coordinates: 39°56’58.0″N 45°14’10.7″E

Elevation: 2350 m

Era and chronology: 1332

Selim Caravanserai: A Medieval Oasis on the Silk Road

As you embark on a journey through history, picture yourself standing at the threshold of time, where the echoes of the past reverberate through the ages. Here, on the ancient Silk Road, you have the opportunity to explore a true gem of medieval heritage.
Step forward and walk into the embrace of the Selim Caravanserai, a testament to Armenia’s vibrant connection with the Silk Road culture. This magnificent structure, perched at an elevation of 2,350 meters, stands as a vivid relic of an era when merchants and travelers traversed the vast expanse of Asia, connecting with the Mediterranean and beyond.
The Selim Caravanserai, built in 1332, awaits your visit to unravel the secrets of its history and its role as a sanctuary for those who once journeyed through these lands.

Perched on the dramatic slopes of Armenia’s Vardenyats mountain pass, the Selim Caravanserai stands as a resolute testament to the bygone era of the Silk Road. This ancient monument, whose history dates back to 1332, is an architectural gem nestled amid the rugged landscapes of Vayots Dzor. Preserved in remarkable condition, the Selim Caravanserai offers a captivating journey into Armenia’s vibrant past, where trade and cultural exchange thrived along the fabled Silk Road.

At an elevation of 2350 meters, this caravanserai once served as a crucial stopover for travelers navigating the arduous routes connecting Dvin to Partav. Its name bears a legend of a local prince’s son who met an unfortunate fate in the midst of a brutal winter blizzard. To honor his memory and provide shelter for weary caravans, the prince’s wife commissioned the construction of this imposing inn, aptly named Selim’s Caravanserai.

The structure itself is a marvel of medieval architecture, constructed from both raw and hewn basalt stones. The caravanserai comprises a main building, extending gracefully from west to east, accompanied by two walled structures attached to its eastern side. This three-nave basilica with seven pairs of gables is where history comes alive. The narrow side aisles once accommodated no less than 64 horses, each section equipped with mangers and water bowls.
An impressive row of skylights, adorned with amethyst decorations, bathes the hall in a soft, ethereal light. It is here that merchants and travelers would rest their steeds and themselves after enduring long journeys. For relaxation, two small rooms await at the west end of the hall, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who passed through these ancient gates.

An elegant vestibule, with its vaulted architecture and intricate arches, connects the hall to the outside world. This welcoming space, illuminated by a central skylight, served as a transition point for those entering or leaving the caravanserai.
The caravanserai’s south facade boasts distinctive muqarnas, influenced by Seljuk architecture, along with captivating bull and sphinx sculptures that guard the entrance. These ornate embellishments, testament to the rich history of the Silk Road, add a touch of mystique to the Selim Caravanserai.

In 1956-1959, the caravanserai underwent extensive renovation, restoring the main building and repairing the damaged arches and walls. Today, it stands not only as a well-preserved relic of the past but also as a living monument to Armenia’s dynamic role in the Silk Road’s cultural tapestry.

FACTS

❈ The Selim Caravanserai, dating back to 1332, is located on Armenia’s Vardenyats mountain pass.
❈ Situated at an elevation of 2350 meters, it was a crucial stopover on the Silk Road route connecting Dvin to Partav.
❈ Named after a local prince’s son, it was built to provide shelter to travelers.
❈ The caravanserai is a medieval architectural marvel made from raw and hewn basalt stones.
❈ It includes a three-nave basilica with 64 horse accommodations, skylights with amethyst decorations, and relaxation rooms.
❈ The vestibule, adorned with vaulted architecture and muqarnas, serves as a transition point.
❈ Ornate embellishments, including bull and sphinx sculptures, reflect the Silk Road’s rich history.
❈ Extensive renovation in 1956-1959 has preserved the caravanserai, making it a living monument to Armenia’s role in the Silk Road’s cultural heritage.

🔍 Research history

G. Alishan (historian-topographer, XIX century), Kajberuni (topographer, XIX century), H. Yeghiazaryan (archaeologist-historian, mid-XX century), V. Harutyunyan (architect, mid-XX century), S. Barkhudaryan (lithographic expert, mid-XX century), “Historical – cultural reserve-museums and historical environment protection service” SNOC (A. Zakyan, 2012)

🧱 Archaeological description

Location
On the border of Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor, on a slope.
The Selim caravanserai is one of the medieval caravanserai preserved in a standing condition in Armenia. According to the Arabic script of the vestibule lintel and the Armenian inscriptions inside the vestibule, it was built by Chesar Orbelyan in 1332. It is located on the plain of Vardenyats mountain pass facing Vayots dzor, serving as a caravan stop on one of the two old roads from Dvin to Partav, passing through Vayots dzor.

Architecture
Selim caravanserai is built with raw basalt stones at the base, and hewn basalt stones at the top. The complex consists of a main building stretching west-east, two walled structures with a north-south axis attached to it on the eastern side. The main building is a three-nave basilica with seven pairs of gables, the narrow side aisles of which were intended for 64 horses. Between the gables are the mangers and the water bowl. At the west end of the three-nave hall there are two small rooms opposite each other intended for relaxation. The hall is lit by three skylights with amethyst decoration opened in the central nave. The hall has a gabled roof covered with tight tile-shaped basalt roof beams. The only entrance to the hall is on the eastern side opening into the adjoining vestibule.
The vestibule is a vaulted building with three pairs of pediments, the arches of which lie on rectangular pediments on the eastern side, and on polyhedral semi-columns on the western side. It is lit by an amethyst decoration, with a large central skylight. The lobby is also covered with a gable roof.
The only entrance to the complex opens from the vestibule, the southern facade of which is decorated with muqarnas originating from Seljuk architecture and widespread in Armenian architecture, and bull and sphinx sculptures placed on the similar friezes to the right and left of the entrance.
The entrance to the walled building attached to the eastern side of the lobby is located on the southeast side opened during the excavations in 2012.
In 1956-1959 the main part of the caravanserai and the damaged parts of the arches and walls of the hall were renovated parallel to its interior and exterior cleaning and area improvement works.

🔨 Findings

Glazed and unglazed pottery, metalware

🌍 Significance

The mostly standing and clearly dated caravanserai is one of the few monuments preserved in the territory of Armenia, the existence of which is an eloquent testimony of Armenia’s active involvement in the medieval “Silk Road culture” stretching from China to the shores of the Mediterranean, supplementing the data on trade and cultural relations known from Armenian and foreign chronicle sources.

📜 Traditional legends

“It is said that the son of the local prince was once passing through this mountain pass with his entourage in winter. Suddenly a terrible blizzard rises. Finding no shelter in the wasteland, the prince and his men drowned in the blizzard. In order to perpetuate the memory of her son, the prince’s wife built a large inn on the scene so that the caravans passing through the Yeghegnadzor mountain pass in winter could stay there until the weather clears and the road opens. And the inn was called after the Prince’s name- Selim’s inn or caravanserai ” (Ghanalanyan 1969, 384).

📚 Sources

1. Alishan Gh. 1893, Sisakan. Topography of the Syuneats world, Venice. S. Lazarus, 563 pages. 163-166
2. Babajanyan A., Zakyan A. 2014, Preliminary results of the Selim caravanserai excavations, “Vem”, 4, pp. 125-134.
3. Barkhudaryan S. 1967, Diva of Armenian lithography. Vayots_Dzor. Yeghegnadzor and Azizbekov regions, 3, Yerevan, Academy of the Scienses of ASSR ed., 427 pages.
4. Harutyunyan V. 1960, Caravans and Bridges of Medieval Armenia, Yerevan, “Haypethrat”, 147 pages.
5. Ghanalanyan A. 1969, Legends, Yerevan, Academy of the Sciences of ASSR ed., 530 pages.
6. Kajberuni 2003, Travel notes, Yerevan, “Mughni”, 498 pages. 137-142

List of monuments
Vayots Dzor 11.7/1.2