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Iran / Persia: An Iranian caravanserai photographed by Sven Hedin in around 1898.

Iran / Persia: An Iranian caravanserai photographed by Sven Hedin in around 1898.

A caravanserai or khan (Persian: kārvānsarā, Turkish: kervansaray) was a roadside inn where travellers could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia, North Africa, and South-Eastern Europe, especially along the Silk Road. They were found frequently along the Persian Empire's Royal Road, a 2500 km long ancient highway that stretched from Sardis to Susa according to Herodotus.

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