Fashionable five- or even seven-star hotels are not a rarity nowadays. Modern travellers are so used to high-quality service and luxurious living spaces that sometimes they long for a change. Some go camping, others choose to stay in the ruins of Medieval castles, but not a lot of people think to stay at the place of a grand vizier, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire’s right hand. To do so, one must simply come to Turkey, to the ancient town of Edirne, and visit Caravanserai of Rustem Pasha, who was the grand vizier of Suleiman the Magnificent.
Today, a popular hotel is located in the majestic landmark of Ottomanian architecture, where the first floor is occupied by shops. Earlier they used to sell silkworm cocoons, today they sell ready-to-wear silk clothes. Sturdy stone walls were designed by Suleiman the Magnificent’s chief architect Mimar Sinan. The same one who built the world-famous Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul. The Caravanserai was built in the 16th century, however, it adorns the historical centre of Edirne to this day. It only took a simple renovation of interiors to make Mimar Sinan’s creations shine like new.
The medieval Caravanserai was built by order of Sultan’s grand vizier Rustem Pasha. At some point, wealthy Ottoman merchants travelling with caravans used to stay there. They say that the grand vizier himself used to frequent the inn. This spacious two-story building to this day has a charming courtyard. Previously, all four of its sides were closed off: three of them by the Caravanserai itself and the fourth one by a small mosque. Unfortunately, the ancient mosque has not survived, just like a stone fountain that was destroyed in the 19th century during the Russo-Turkish War. However, the courtyard is open to everybody and can be used as a shelter from the heat.