Caravanserai a Persian word means - An inn built around a large court for accommodating caravans. Basically it is compound word - Caravan meaning a group of travellers, as merchants or pilgrims, journeying together for safety in passing through deserts, hostile territory, etc. and Serai meaning a place to stay specially a house built around a courtyard.
Such traveller's inn dotted trade routes covering Asia, North Africa, and South-Eastern Europe from 16th century onwards. Reportedly about thousand serais were built along the silk route. With the advent of modern means of transportations and advent of hotels these felt into disrepair.
Caravanserais not only provided accommodation and basic amenities to men and animal but also supported the flow of commerce. Besides residential quarters the serais also had bazaar (market) within their precinct. Typically these were square or rectangular high walled buildings with a single entrance wide enough to permit heavily laden camels to enter. The courtyard was almost always open to the sky, and the inside walls of the enclosure were outfitted with a number of identical stalls, bays, niches, or chambers to accommodate merchants and their servants, animals, and merchandise.

Iran Caravansaries List
List of Caravansaries in Iran including caravansary description, history, pictures, location..
Other Iran Caravansaries List
Howz Caravansary
Located in Tehran (a city of Tehran province)
The said caravansary was formerly a place for tremendous passenger traffic being en route Tehran – Qom – Esfahan. But today due to the diversion of the former route, this ‘inn’ has been deprived of passengers

Dayr Caravansary
Located in Tehran (a city of Tehran province)
This caravansary or traditional local ‘inn’ is situated on the Tehran – Qom Road. Immediately after Hassan Abad (towards Varamin) and 12 km from Band-e-Ali Khan, Dayr caravansary can be noted, which is placed in the …

Pol-e-Dalak Caravansary
Located in Qom (a city of Qom province)
This Caravansary is near a bridge built on the Garah Chai River at conjunction of the same with Qom Rood River. This bridge was built in order to connection between Qom and Mashad.

Mahyar Carvansery
Located in Esfahan (a city of Esfahan province)
This caravansary with its four porches is to the dimensions of 82 x 89 sq. m. and with a rectangular courtyard covering an area of 48.30 x 38.70 sq. m. is located in the south of Esfahan in the village of Mahyar. The chambers …

Sansan Carvansery
Located in Esfahan (a city of Esfahan province)
The same lies in the Sansan Village, at a distance of 40 km. on the Qom – Kashan road. This is a square structure with four porches and constructed of brick, sun baked bricks and clay. Adornments of brick can be observed …

Mirza Kuchak and other caravansary
Located in Esfahan (a city of Esfahan province)
These are named as, Sheikh Ali Khan, Jarchi Bashi, Teemcheh-e-Jahangir, Saray-e-Sefid, Mirza Kuchak, Mir Ismail and Khansariha in the bazaar of Esfahan. Maranjab, Amin-ud-Douleh, Gomrok, Mooteh and Gabr Abad in Kashan. Bazaar-e-Zavareh

Shah Abbasi Caravansary
Located in Ahar (a city of East Azarbaijan province)
The pass of Goijeh Boel is one of the most beautiful vicinities in Azarbayjan, 24 km. of Ahar. In this area two caravansaries or inns can be noted, built of stone and the type of architecture shows that both were constructed …

Abolqasem Rashti Caravansary, Aqda
Located in Ardakan (a city of Yazd province)
The same is located in Aqda and near the main route. This structure is similar in architecture to that of the Shah Abbasi caravansaries, and was constructed by the reputed merchant Haj Abolqasem Rashti. The caravansary has …

Khargooshi Caravansary, Aqda
Located in Ardakan (a city of Yazd province)
The said is a structure of the Shah Abbas Safavid period and is located near the Gav Khooni swamp of Aqda Village – en route to the path which ancient caravans followed. This caravansary has been named such, in accordance …

Damqan City Caravansaries
Located in Damgan (a city of Semnan province)
In the covered ‘bazaar’ of Damqan two brick constructed caravansaries are situated. One of these is a new caravansary, rectangular in shape and with chambers surrounding it. The other is the old caravansary having shops …

Shah Abbasi Caravansary
Located in Damgan (a city of Semnan province)
This is a relic from the Safavid era and is located in the Shaheed Fallahi Avenue in Damqan city. This structure has a tall doorway, vast hall and various rooms. There is a porch at the top of the entrance door. The walls …

Dodehak Caravansary
Located in Delijan (a city of Markazi province)
The same is located on the eastern banks of the Qomrood River and on the Dodehak – Khorheh Road, and near the historical Safavid caravansary of Dodehak. It is related to the Safavid era, and the towers constructed on each …

Dezful Caravansary
Located in Dezful (a city of Khoozestan province)
In the city of Dezful, remnant of some semi-ruined caravansaries which most probabely belong to Safavid era and the rule of “Vakhashtu Khan” exists. There are two ancient caravansaries that are now a days used by traders …

Sassanide Caravansary
Located in Firooz Abad (a city of Fars province)
This caravansary is located at 3 km. south of the Sassanide Fire Temple in Firooz Abad. it probabely dates back to the Sassanian era. It consists of a large court surrounded by many rooms. The room are made with the characteristic …

Dehnamak Caravansary
Located in Garmsar (a city of Semnan province)
This structure is located 40 km. east of Garmsar. The same has four porches. The entrance has two lateral side-rooms in two storeys and shaped like a trapezium which lies to the southern side of the structure.

Yarim Qayeh Caravansary
Located in Kabudrahang (a city of Hamedan province)
The same is situated in the village of Yarim Qayeh in Famineen (Kabudrahang). This caravansary is related to the Safavid era. It is a rectangular structure, suited for mountainous regions. Materials used in its construction

Chahar Souq Caravansary
Located in Kerman (a city of Kerman province)
The said caravansary is located in the Saraji Bazaar near Ganj Ali Khan. This caravansary has two entrances, one leads to the Saraji Bazaar and the other opens out into the Qal’eh Bazaar. This caravansary is a double storyed …

Golshan Inn
Located in Kerman (a city of Kerman province)
This structure is situated in the Ekhtiyari Bazaar. The ground floor has 50 chambers, whereas the upper floor comprises of 37 chambers. The same was repaired in the year 1370 AH.

Hindu Caravansary
Located in Kerman (a city of Kerman province)
This double storyed caravansary was constructed by Haj Seyed Javad, the Friday prayer leader of the time, in the year 1771 AD. It was named due to presence of Indians and their activities during the Qajar reign. There is

Lahafdooziha Caravansary
Located in Kerman (a city of Kerman province)
The same is also known as the Deymari Caravansary and is situated alongside the bazaar. This caravansary has 12 chambers which are utilized by quilt makers. The said caravansary dates back to approximately a century.