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This is a sixteenth century inn, the name meaning, BIG INN. It is
situated in Asmalti street and is classified by the Department of
Antiquities as an ancient building.
The view of the khan from the rear, and so much of its appearance is
like a grim fortress, that in the old colonial days, the British used
this khan as Nicosia Central Prison. Windows were always high up, and
small because of marauders (rich merchants at the inn were inevitably a
source of great temptation) and in the Middle Ages, glass was very
expensive. In the interior courtyard is a picturesque octagonal tower
used for prayers and is therefore a miniature mosque or mesdjit, with a
picturesque fountain below. Around the court and downstairs are the
stables, while the merchants had their bedrooms upstairs.
The building has curious octagonal chimneys; perhaps guests were allowed
to have small charcoal braziers in their rooms. In all, about 67 people
were accommodated, but without hot water, tv. or electric blankets. The
main entrance to the Great Khan is in Asmalti Street, but you would
hardly notice it, as it is so cluttered u p with shops and stalls. This
inn was built about 1570 A.D. by Muzaffer Pasha, so ít is not a
mediaeval building. If you really want to see mediaeval inns, you must
go to Tripoli in Lebanon, while in the old Persian towns of Isfahan and
Shiraz you can actually see the old customs lingering on. "Caravans"
come into the khan yard at night, cook their meals in the open, wash,
pray and "bed" down the donkeys for the night. That's the place for a
tv. documentary film. For some time the Great Khan was used as a
builders' yard, but now all this paraphernalia has been removed and the
khan awaits restoration. |
