Skip to main content
Radar Türkiye
Discover events in the app
Open
Radar Türkiye
From Amorium to the Sultan Mountains, the Old Road of Eastern Afyon
Cultural4 Stop

From Amorium to the Sultan Mountains, the Old Road of Eastern Afyon

No ratings yet

Sign in to like and rate

When people think of Afyonkarahisar, they first picture the castle on its black rock and the city around it. This route instead heads to the east of the province, to the wide plain between the Emir Mountains and the Sultan Mountains, and shows that this land was a passage for centuries. Four stops present, in order, a history lived on the same plain, from one of the most important cities of Byzantium to the Seljuk caravan road. The day begins at Hisarköy, east of Emirdağ, on the mound of the ancient city of Amorium. A Byzantine army headquarters and a city that gave emperors to the throne, Amorium never regained its former strength after the great siege of 838. The second stop is the Kırkgöz Bridge on the Akarçay near Bolvadin; built in 1150 for a Byzantine emperor and extended by Mimar Sinan in the sixteenth century, the bridge was the crossing of the old road that linked Istanbul to the south. The third stop is Lake Eber, where the Akarçay ends; with its reeds, floating islets and birds it tells the story of the plain's water. The day ends in the town centre of Sultandağı at the İshaklı Caravanserai, in the courtyard of a Seljuk han dated 1249.

The order comes from geography. Amorium is the northernmost point of the route; from there you descend south to Bolvadin. Kırkgöz and Eber sit on the same line of the Akarçay, and following the direction of the river gives a natural passage from the bridge to the lake. Sultandağı lies southeast of the lake, at the foot of the mountain. In this way the road is completed without turning back. The theme follows the same order: Amorium tells of settlement and defence, Kırkgöz and İshaklı of the road and of travel, and Eber, between them, shows the plain itself. The road crossing Kırkgöz had linked Istanbul to the south as a caravan route since the Roman period, and in the Ottoman period pilgrim caravans used it as well. The İshaklı Caravanserai, for its part, was one of the stopping places on the Seljuk road running from Afyon via Akşehir to Konya. The ruins of Amorium, meanwhile, were forgotten for centuries, and their location was only identified again in the nineteenth century through the research of a traveller.

The route is a long day by car. Kırkgöz is about seven kilometres from Bolvadin, and Eber is just as close to the town. Sultandağı lies at the sixty-eighth kilometre of the highway between Afyon and Konya, and the return trip uses this road. Every stop involves some walking, but none of it is a long trail. At Amorium you walk on loose and uneven ground in an open excavation area; on the bridge the parapet is low; the lakeshore can be muddy.

There are a few things to keep in mind. The water level of Lake Eber changes greatly from year to year; it has been reported that the lake dried up completely in a drought, so plan the lake stop after checking the water situation. There is almost no shade at Amorium. In excavation areas you do not step on the remains, and you do not move reused stones from their place. Bring comfortable shoes, a hat, water and binoculars for the birds.

Sources

Emirdağ, Afyonkarahisar
Cultural
4 Stop
~3 h 35 min at places
Travel ~66 km · 1 h 50 min
Total ~5 h 25 min
October 19, 2026

Route Stops

1
Amorium Antik Kenti

Amorium Ancient City.

~1 h 15 min here
Hisarköy Mahallesi, Emirdağ / Afyonkarahisar

Begin the day at Amorium, the northernmost point of the route, in Hisarköy about thirteen kilometres east of Emirdağ. The Kültür Portalı notes that the city lies some seventy kilometres northeast of Afyonkarahisar. Before you set out, check the visiting conditions of the excavation area with the provincial culture and tourism directorate or the museum directorate. When you arrive in the village, first take in the view; the hill rising in the middle of the plain is the mound of the city known as the Upper City. This mound is the centre of the earliest settlement on the site, and traces of Byzantine city walls can still be made out along its edges. The Lower City was enclosed by a second line of walls that surrounded the whole town. Starting your walk at the foot of the mound and following the line of the walls is the easiest way to understand the two-tiered plan of the city. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism states that the city was called Aura in the Hittite period, while the name Amorium belongs to the Classical age. Almost no remains from the Hellenistic and Roman periods can be seen on the site; the clearest trace of those eras is the coinage the city struck in its own name. According to the Kültür Portalı, Amorium was among the first cities in the region that the Roman Senate allowed to mint their own money. The city's golden age, however, was the Byzantine period. Under Emperor Zeno, at the end of the fifth century, the city walls were built. After 640 Amorium became the headquarters of the Byzantine army in Anatolia and then the capital of the Anatolikon Theme. In the ninth century the dynasty that gave three emperors to the Byzantine throne also came from this city; the provincial directorate writes that this family was known as the Phrygian dynasty. But the same fame also prepared the city's fall, and in 838 the army of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mutasim besieged and took it. The TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi relates that the city was devastated again in 931 by the emir of Tarsus and gradually lost its importance after that. In later centuries locals called the place Hergan Kale, and the location of the ruins was only identified again in the nineteenth century through the research of the traveller William Hamilton. As you tour the structures opened by the excavations, follow the information panels. According to the Kültür Portalı, in 2001 a Byzantine bath dated between the sixth and ninth centuries and an unpaved street were uncovered in the area of the Lower City known as the Large Building. Excavations began in 1987 with a survey by R. Martin Harrison of Oxford and were continued by Chris Lightfoot between 1993 and 2009. Since 2014 the work has been directed by Zeliha Demirel Gökalp of Anadolu University. The ground in open excavation areas is loose and uneven; do not go near the edges of the trenches and do not step on the remains. For photographs, a wide angle from the top of the mound looking towards the Lower City best conveys the size of the city. Morning light strikes the plain from the side, so the wall lines stand out more clearly. There is hardly any shade on the site, so do not leave your hat and water in the car. From here, drive south towards Bolvadin and continue to the Kırkgöz Bridge on the Akarçay.

Source: Kültür Portalı, Amorium Antik Kenti; Afyonkarahisar İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Antik Kentler; TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, Ammuriye.

Amorium is an ancient city spreading beneath and around today's Hisarköy, in the Emirdağ district of Afyonkarahisar. The Culture Portal states that the city lies about 170 kilometres southwest of Ankara, about 70 kilometres northeast of Afyonkarahisar and about 12 kilometres east of Emirdağ. Its name appears as Amorion in Greek sources and as Ammuriye in Arab and Islamic sources. In the Ottoman period the place was known locally as Hergen Kale or Hergan Kale. The city stood on the old Byzantine military road running from Istanbul to Cilicia. The history of the settlement goes back to the Early Bronze Age. The Afyonkarahisar Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism writes that the city was called Aura in the Hittite period, while the name Amorium belongs to the Classical age. The Culture Portal states that settlement continued without interruption through the Hittite, Phrygian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. According to one tradition, Aesop, famous for his fables, was from Amorium, although his birthplace is disputed. The fact that the city minted its own coins from around the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD shows that it was a developed and important place at that time. The Culture Portal writes that Amorium was among the first cities in the region to which the Roman Senate granted the right to mint their own money. The city gained its real importance in the Byzantine period. Its walls were built under Emperor Zeno in the late 5th century. From the 640s Amorium became one of the Byzantine army's headquarters in Anatolia and then the capital of the Anatolikon theme, or province. In the period from the mid-7th to the mid-9th century it served as a strong fortress protecting Byzantine lands against Arab raids. Because Michael II, who came to the throne in 820, was from Amorium, the dynasty he founded is known as the Amorian dynasty. In 838 the army of the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim besieged and captured the city and largely destroyed it. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, although the city was rebuilt, it was devastated once again in 931 by the emir of Tarsus. Excavation finds show that the city regained its military importance in the 10th and 11th centuries. It is known that Amorium was in Seljuk hands in 1116. In Ottoman records the place appears from 1516 under the name Hisarcık, and today's Hisarköy was founded in 1892. The location of the city remained unknown for a long time; the English geologist William Hamilton visited the Hisarcık mound in 1836 and identified the ruins. Scholarly work began in 1987 with a survey by R. Martin Harrison of Oxford University and turned into excavation in 1988. From 1993 to 2009 the excavations continued under the direction of Chris Lightfoot. From 2013 the work was carried out under the Directorate of the Afyonkarahisar Museum, and since 2014 it has been led by Zeliha Demirel Gökalp of Anadolu University. The city consists of two parts. The Upper City is the mound that was the centre of the earliest settlement, and traces of the Byzantine city walls can still be seen along its edges. The Lower City is surrounded by a second wall that encircled the whole city. Excavations in the Lower City uncovered a large basilica and the buildings around it, and south of the city a Late Roman and Early Byzantine structure called the Large Building. In 2001 a Byzantine bath dated between the 6th and 9th centuries and a street were found in the area called the Large Space in the middle of the site. Wikipedia also notes that the site was seriously damaged by treasure hunters' digging in the years before it was placed under protection. Start your visit on the mound; looking from the top of the Upper City over the flat plain and the area where the Lower City spread is the easiest way to grasp the scale of the city. Then go down to the excavated buildings of the Lower City and follow the rows of walls, the column fragments and the line of the walls. Because some of the remains lie beneath and around village houses, pay attention to the limits of the excavation area and to warning signs. The plain is open and shadeless, so a hat, water and sturdy shoes will make things easier. Since visiting conditions can change during and after excavation seasons, get up-to-date information from the Afyonkarahisar Museum or the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism before you go.
View PlaceGet Directions
2
Kırkgöz Köprüsü (Bolvadin)

Kırkgöz Bridge (Bolvadin)

~45 min here
Akarçay üzerinde, Bolvadin ilçe merkezinin yaklaşık 7 kilometre dışında, Bolvadin / Afyonkarahisar

The Kırkgöz Bridge stands on the Akarçay, the river that flows into Lake Eber, about seven kilometres outside the town centre of Bolvadin. Sources give the distance as between six and seven kilometres, and the bridge is reached by a short drive from the town centre. Because the bridge now lies off the main road, its surroundings are quiet and you can take in its length on foot without hurrying. First stand at the end of the bridge and look along its whole length. According to a report by CNN Türk, the bridge is about two hundred metres long. Its name means forty arches, but the number of arches has changed over the centuries. According to Anadolu Ajansı, the bridge was built with forty arches in 1150 for the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. In the sixteenth century, during the campaigns of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, Mimar Sinan extended the bridge to the north and raised it to sixty-four arches. Today sources give the number of surviving arches as fifty-seven. Wikipedia writes that some arches were removed during a regulation of the riverbed and that some are buried under the soil. So if you try counting the arches, do not be surprised if you reach a different total. As you walk, pay attention to the shape of the arches. The arches in the middle are wider and pointed, while towards the ends they become smaller and flatter. The stones also reveal the layers of the bridge. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism states that the southern section was built of marble and dressed basalt, while the northern section is Sinan's addition. In the piers you can see reused architectural fragments from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, even gravestones. Looking for these pieces turns the bridge into a small open-air archive. According to Wikipedia, the stonework is more regular in the northern part, which dates from the Ottoman period; compare the two ends and see the difference for yourself. Sinan also had a prayer platform added to the bridge, along with a marble staircase for going down to the water. The bridge's inscription is no longer in place; Wikipedia relates that it once fell into the river and was later found and moved to the museum. Speaking to Anadolu Ajansı, the historian Mustafa Güler says that since the Roman period the bridge was one of the important crossings of the caravan road running south from Istanbul. According to Güler, in the Ottoman period the same road was also the route of pilgrim caravans, and the bridge was a constantly busy crossing point. For photographs, shoot the bridge from the side so that the row of arches stretches out like a line; afternoon light warms the colour of the stones. When you walk on the bridge, remember that the parapet is a single low course, and do not go too close to the edge. Do not climb on the stones or move the reused pieces, because the bridge already bears damage left by treasure hunters. From here, follow the direction in which the Akarçay flows and continue to the shore of Lake Eber.

Source: Anadolu Ajansı, Mimar Sinan'ın elinin değdiği köprü Kırkgöz; CNN Türk, Kırkgöz Köprüsü; Afyonkarahisar İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Köprüler; Wikipedia, Kırkgöz Köprüsü.

Kırkgöz Bridge is a historic multi-arched bridge stretching across the Akarçay, the river that flows into Lake Eber, about 7 kilometres outside the centre of Bolvadin. Sources write that the first part of the bridge was built in 1150 by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. According to the Anadolu Agency, the bridge had forty arches when it was first built, and it takes its name from that number. It was built of marble, andesite and basalt. Because it carries traces of the Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods in a single structure, it is one of the most layered monuments of the Akarçay basin. The bridge was one of the key crossings on the north to south caravan road, in use since Roman times, that ran south from Istanbul. Historians from Afyon Kocatepe University note that it served as a main route in the Seljuk period and remained a busy stop for pilgrimage and trade caravans in the Ottoman period. It was repaired in both the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. In the 16th century, during the Baghdad and Iran campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent, the bridge was repaired and extended northwards by Mimar Sinan. The provincial directorate of culture and tourism states that Sinan extended the bridge to as many as 64 arches and added an inscription. The number of arches differs between sources, because arches have been lost over time. According to Wikipedia, eight arches were demolished during works to change the course of the Akarçay, and some others lie buried in the ground. Today most sources give the number of surviving arches as 57. Different figures also circulate for its length; CNN Türk mentions 200 metres while Wikipedia gives a value such as 400 metres, so the surest way is to measure it with your own steps. It is said that the inscription from Sinan's time fell into the river when the bridge was damaged during the War of Independence, and was later found and taken to the museum. What makes the structure fascinating is that you can see the stonework of three different periods side by side. The southern section belongs to the Byzantine period; the northern section is an Ottoman addition with more regular masonry. The arches are wider and pointed in the middle and become smaller and flatter towards the ends. The core of the structure is rubble fill set in lime mortar and the outer faces are of cut stone, with a single row of parapet stones on top. Reused architectural pieces from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods can be seen in the piers. Wear-resistant basalt and marble were used near the water, with porous tuff in the upper parts. As you explore, start at one end of the bridge and walk along the parapet to the other, noticing how the height of the arches changes. Then step down and look at the structure side-on from the neighbouring fields; the repaired sections, distinguished by their colour, and the reused stones are easier to pick out from this angle. When you look closely at the old building pieces in the piers, do not stand on the stones and do not move any piece from its place. Wikipedia notes that illegal treasure digging and the removal of building stones have damaged the structure in places, so treating it with care is every visitor's responsibility. As the bridge now lies off the main road its surroundings are quiet, and from time to time you may meet shepherds crossing it with their flocks. The best time for photographs is morning or evening, when the sun is low; side light brings out the rhythm of the arches and the texture of the stone. The bridge is in the open air and has no separate entrance arrangement. It is surrounded by fields and meadows, and since the tracks can be muddy after rain, wear suitable shoes. There is no shade, so take water and a hat in summer. You will need your own vehicle to reach Kırkgöz Bridge from Bolvadin; Bolvadin itself is reached from Afyonkarahisar by road and by intercity bus. The Akarçay, which the bridge spans, reaches Lake Eber a few kilometres further on. That is why combining a visit to the bridge with a drive to the villages on the lake shore makes a natural route. The same river's historic crossing in the centre of Afyonkarahisar, according to the Anadolu Agency, is the Altıgöz Bridge, built in 1209 and named after its six arches.
View PlaceGet Directions
3
Eber Gölü

Lake Eber.

~45 min here
Bolvadin ilçesinin güneydoğusu, Bolvadin / Afyonkarahisar

Lake Eber, the final stop of the Akarçay, stretches between the districts of Bolvadin, Çay and Sultandağı. Wikipedia writes that the lake is seven kilometres from Bolvadin. The lake lies in a closed depression known as the Akarçay Basin, with the Emir Mountains rising to the north and the Sultan Mountains to the south. The surface of the lake is about 967 metres above sea level. The Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism gives its area as 150 square kilometres, while Wikipedia gives 125 square kilometres; the difference comes from the lake's area changing from year to year. Before you come here, be sure to check the state of the water. Hürriyet Daily News reported that the lake dried up completely during a drought. English Wikipedia, however, notes that water had returned to the lake as of 2020. So the view you find can vary greatly with the season and with that year's rainfall. When you reach the shore, the first thing you see is usually not water but reeds. According to Wikipedia, most of the surface is covered with red reeds that reach five or six metres, which is why from a distance the lake looks like a meadow. The floating islets that locals call kopak also form from the roots of these reeds, which break away from the soil. Reeds and bulrush have been a livelihood for the surrounding villages for centuries and are used to make mats, cushions and paper. According to the provincial directorate, carp and pike live in the lake. Eber is also an important bird area. English Wikipedia reports that BirdLife International identified the lake as an Important Bird Area in 1989. The Turkish article lists the pygmy cormorant, the spoonbill, the Dalmatian pelican and the purple heron among the species that come to the lake. Turn your binoculars to the edges where the reed beds meet open water, because waterbirds are seen most often along this boundary. Keep quiet so as not to disturb the birds, and do not walk into the reeds. The lake was declared a first-degree natural site in 1992. The provincial directorate also states plainly that the lake has suffered from pollution, which makes it all the more important to leave nothing behind on the shore. When the water rises above a certain level, the surplus is carried by a channel to the lower-lying Lake Akşehir. For photographs, choose early morning or the hours close to sunset; in clear weather the ridge of the Sultan Mountains appears behind the reed beds. The ground on the shore can be muddy and soft, so wear suitable shoes and stay on firm ground. From here, head southeast to the town centre of Sultandağı at the foot of the Sultan Mountains.

Source: Afyonkarahisar İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Göller; Hürriyet Daily News, Lake Eber dries up; Wikipedia, Eber Gölü; Wikipedia, Lake Eber.

Lake Eber is a freshwater lake in the east of Afyonkarahisar Province, lying between the districts of Çay, Bolvadin and Sultandağı, and it is known above all for its reed beds. The Governorship of Afyonkarahisar notes that the lake begins about 8 kilometres southeast of the centre of Bolvadin. Its water surface sits roughly 967 metres above sea level. The Emir Mountains rise to the north and the Sultan Mountains to the south, and the depression between these two ranges forms the lake bed. The lake is part of a closed tectonic basin known as the Akarçay Basin, which runs from northwest to southeast. It is generally accepted that a single large lake formed in this basin at the end of the last glacial age and that, as the waters receded, it split into two lakes, Eber and Akşehir. Today a strip of land of about 10 kilometres separates the two. Part of Eber's water is passed on to Lake Akşehir in the southeast through a channel known as the Eber channel. The name of the lake is said to come from Eber, a clan of the Avşar Turkmen who lived in the area. Sources also record that in the Byzantine period the same body of water was called Tessarakonta Martyron, the Lake of the Forty Martyrs. The main waters feeding the lake are the Akarçay, which arrives after flowing through the city of Afyonkarahisar, and the springs that descend from the Sultan Mountains. As a result its surface area changes from year to year and even from season to season. The provincial directorate of culture and tourism gives the area as 150 square kilometres, while Wikipedia puts the average at around 125 square kilometres. According to the records, the highest level was measured in May 1969 and the lowest in October 1991. During the drought of October 2018 the press reported that the lake had dried up completely, and in the following years the water was reported to have returned. For this reason it is wise to check the current water situation with local sources before your visit. At first sight Eber looks less like a lake than an endless reed bed. Most of the surface is covered with red reeds that can reach five or six metres in height, along with bulrush. The floating islets that form when reed roots break away from the ground and wind-blown soil gathers on top of them are called kopak by local people. Some kopaks are said to grow large enough for fishermen and reed cutters to build shelters on them. Reed and bulrush are among the livelihoods of the surrounding villages, and you may well see bundles of cut reeds stacked in boats along the shore. The lake is also known for its birds. The governorship lists the pygmy cormorant, the spoonbill, the Dalmatian pelican, the bittern, the squacco heron and the purple heron among the species seen here. The coot, the white-headed duck and the ferruginous duck are also among the species mentioned in the sources. BirdLife International recognised the lake as an Important Bird Area in 1989. Carp and pike live in its waters. An endemic plant known as Eber sarısı, said to grow only in this area, is also counted among the lake's distinctive treasures. Lake Eber was declared a first degree natural protected area by a conservation board decision dated 22 June 1992. The provincial directorate of culture and tourism states openly that waste from the city and from industry polluted the lake for many years. So approach it not as a leisure park but as a sensitive wetland that needs protection; do not walk into the reed beds where birds nest, and leave no litter behind. The governorship names spring, summer and autumn as the seasons when the lake is most alive. Early morning and sunset are the most rewarding times for birds; flocks rising in the morning light and returning in the late afternoon are the lake's most striking sights. Bring binoculars and a long lens, because most of the birds stay deep inside the reeds. Walking along the shore is possible and camping in the surrounding area is an option; for a boat trip you need to speak to local fishermen. From villages on the southern shore such as Çayırpınar you get a wide view over the lake and the Sultan Mountains behind it. The easiest approach is via Bolvadin, which is reached from Afyonkarahisar by road and by intercity bus, but you will need your own vehicle to get to the villages on the shore. The dirt tracks along the shore can turn muddy after rain. On the same day you can complete the Akarçay basin by also visiting the historic Kırkgöz Bridge on the Akarçay and the İshaklı Caravanserai in Sultandağı.
View PlaceGet Directions
4
İshaklı Kervansarayı

Işıklar Caravanserai.

~50 min here
Sultandağı ilçe merkezi, Afyon-Akşehir-Konya yolu üzeri, Sultandağı / Afyonkarahisar

The last stop of the route, the İshaklı Caravanserai, stands right in the middle of the town centre of Sultandağı. The old name of Sultandağı is İshaklı, and the caravanserai takes its name from it; the building is also known as the Sahip Ata Han. The TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi writes that the building lies on the road between Akşehir and Çay, twenty-five kilometres from Akşehir. You recognise the caravanserai at once by its long, thick stone walls. According to the encyclopaedia, the thick enclosure walls and the buttress towers on them fortify the building almost like a castle. Before going inside, linger a little at the facade. The outer walls are supported by square and half-cylindrical buttresses. The main portal opening onto the courtyard is crowned by a hood with seven rows of muqarnas, and its top is ruined today. Look at the polygonal niches on either side of the portal and the small shell-shaped squinches in the upper corners. The inscriptions tell when and by whom the han was built. According to the TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, the inscriptions on the two portals show that the building was commissioned in September 1249, in the first years of the reign of the Seljuk Sultan İzzeddin Keykavus II, by Vizier Sahip Ata Fahreddin Ali. The encyclopaedia presents this han as the oldest dated building commissioned by Sahip Ata. Sahip Ata was one of the statesmen of the Seljuk period who commissioned the most buildings; turkishhan.org writes that he also built the İnce Minareli Medrese in Konya and the Gök Medrese in Sivas. Once in the courtyard, look at the small kiosk mosque raised above the ground in the centre. The Kültür Portalı states that this building is the last example of the Seljuk kiosk mosques standing free in the middle of a courtyard. If you look carefully, you will see that the kiosk mosque sits askew to the main axis of the han, because it was aligned with the qibla direction. The encyclopaedia writes that reused pieces of Roman and Byzantine sarcophagi were built into parts of its western wall. Across the courtyard stands the covered section known as the winter hall. This section is a nearly square hall with five naves covered by barrel vaults, and its arches rest on sixteen stone piers. The central nave is wider and higher than the others, and the lantern dome in the middle of its vault once let light into the hall. The interior is dim; wait at the door for a moment until your eyes adjust, then follow the rows of piers. The building has been repaired many times over the centuries. The encyclopaedia writes that the han was repaired around 1885, used as a granary until 1925 and restored by the General Directorate of Foundations in 1964. The Kültür Portalı notes that the rooms around the courtyard largely collapsed in the mid-1960s and that traces of these rooms were identified in excavations in 2003. For photographs, the west-facing facade of the han looks best when it catches the afternoon light. Check the visiting conditions before you go. The day ends here; the return to Afyonkarahisar is along the highway between Afyon and Konya, on which Sultandağı lies.

Source: TDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, İshaklı Kervansarayı; Kültür Portalı, İshaklı Han; turkishhan.org, Sahip Ata Han.

The İshaklı Caravanserai is an Anatolian Seljuk han standing in the centre of the Sultandağı district, beside the old road linking Afyon, Akşehir and Konya. Since the former name of Sultandağı was İshaklı, the building is known by that name; it is also called the Sahip Ata Han after its founder. According to the TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam, the han lies about 25 kilometres from Akşehir. The inscriptions above its portals show that it was built in September 1249, in the early years of the reign of the Seljuk Sultan Izzeddin Kaykaus II. Its founder, the vizier Sahip Ata Fahreddin Ali, was a statesman who commissioned a great many buildings in the Seljuk period. The TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam notes that the İshaklı Caravanserai is the earliest of his buildings with a known date. Wikipedia gives the names of its architects as Kölük bin Abdullah and Kaluyan el-Konevi. The han was repaired around 1885 and then used as a granary until 1925. The General Directorate of Foundations restored the building in 1964; according to the Culture Portal the work continued until 1975, and it has been restored again in recent years. The building is an important example of the type known as sultan hans: a courtyard at the front used in summer and a covered hall at the back used in winter. The thick outer walls are reinforced with corner towers and half-cylindrical buttresses, so that from the outside the han looks almost like a fortress. Wikipedia gives the thickness of the outer walls as 1.60 metres and the total area as about 1800 square metres. The encyclopaedia gives the dimensions of the nearly square courtyard as 36 by 34 metres. The courtyard is entered through a monumental portal facing east. The portal is framed by mouldings of different widths and crowned by a hood with seven rows of muqarnas. On either side of the doorway there is a niche with muqarnas. The three-line inscription is set between the muqarnas and the door arch. Although the top of the portal has collapsed, the small shell-shaped squinches in the corners and the row of rosettes can still be made out. In the middle of the courtyard stands a small raised kiosk masjid on four arched piers. The Culture Portal notes that it is the last example of the freestanding kiosk masjids placed in the centre of Seljuk han courtyards. Architecturally it is notable for being aligned not with the main axis of the han but at a different angle. Reused stones from the Roman and Byzantine periods can be seen in its walls. Traces of an arcaded gallery survive along the northern side of the courtyard, and excavations in 2003 uncovered the foundations of rooms around it. The covered hall lies behind the courtyard and is entered through its own portal. Inside, it has a nearly square plan and is divided into five aisles by sixteen stone piers, roofed with pointed barrel vaults. The central aisle is wider and taller than the others. The pyramidal cone rising on an octagonal drum above its centre is the han's most familiar silhouette from the outside. The interior is dim; light filters in through this lantern dome and the narrow slit windows in the western wall. On your visit, first walk around the han and look at its fortress-like outer walls and buttresses, then take a closer look at the decoration of the portal. In the courtyard, study the piers of the kiosk masjid and the reused stones before moving into the covered hall and giving your eyes time to adjust to the dim light. Photographs taken from the west bring the stone facade and the conical roof of the dome together in one frame. As the han is in the town centre it is easy to find; check local sources or the provincial directorate of culture and tourism for entry conditions and current visiting hours. Sultandağı is reached from Afyonkarahisar on the main road towards Akşehir and Konya and by intercity buses using that route. The han is close enough to be visited on the same day as Lake Eber and the Kırkgöz Bridge in Bolvadin. The Sultan Mountains rising to the south form a backdrop that also recalls the geography of the region.
View PlaceGet Directions

Route Map

Route Info
CityEmirdağ, Afyonkarahisar
TypeCultural
Stop4
DateOctober 19, 2026
Radar TürkiyeAuthorRadar TürkiyeStart Route