TEHRAN – A restoration project has been commenced on Shah Abbasi caravanserai in the village of Aveh, near Saveh, the central province of Markazi.

The project involves replacing worn-out bricks, repairing some damaged rooms as well as flooring, Saveh’s tourism chief Reza Ayyaz said on Sunday.

A budget of 200 million rials ($4,700 at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) has been allocated to the project, which is scheduled to come to an end within two weeks, the official added.

The caravanserai has a symmetrical plan with four iwans (porches) and consists of a central courtyard, entrance gate, rooms, and stable.

The structure is named after Shah Abbas the Great (r. 1588 – 1629), who ordered the construction of such roadside inns across the country.

The inn was very prosperous during the Safavid period (1501-1736) and many caravans from around the country used to stay here during this time.

The historical structure was inscribed on the national heritage list in 2000.

Caravanserai (or caravansary) is a compound word combining “caravan” with “sara”. The first stands for a group of travelers and "sara" means the building. They often had massive portals supported by elevated load-bearing walls. Guest rooms were constructed around the courtyard and stables behind them with doors in the corners of the yard.

Iran’s earliest caravanserais were built during the Achaemenid era (550 -330 BC). Centuries later, when Shah Abbas I assumed power from 1588 – to 1629, he ordered the construction of network caravanserais across the country. For many travelers to Iran, staying in or even visiting a centuries-old caravanserai, can be a wide experience; they have an opportunity to feel the past, a time travel back into a forgotten age!

Markazi province is considered the industrial capital of the country. It is rich in natural, historical, cultural, and religious attractions.

Hand-woven carpets and kilims, made in its cities including Farahan, Sarugh, Lilivan, Senejan, and Vafs are known internationally.

ABU/MG