The locations of the 13 hans in Urfa which could not survive to the present have been determined. They are classified in two groups as those which could have been dated, and those which could not.
Hans which could have been dated
The Sarraf Seyfeddin Han is mentioned in a waqf charter written in 1373. This han belongs to the Memluk period and is reckoned to be the earliest han in Urfa.
Evliya Çelebi indicates that situated near the Bey Gate is the Bey Kapısı Han and outside the gate is the Sebil Han. He also mentions cave hans outside the city walls which are named as Sektel’s Han. Since Evliya Çelebi visited the city in the mid 17. century, it is possible to say that these buildings were built before that.
The Badıllı Sait Bey Han was located outside the city walls on the way from Köprübaşı to the Kamberiye District. It was demolished in 1960’s and an apartment house was built in its place. This han could be dated to early 20. century since Badıllı Sait Bey, after whom it was named, lived from 1880 to 1944.
Hans which could not have been dated
The Askeriye (Hacı Kara Ağa) Han was outside the city walls at the location where there is the present government house. The Old and New Gazhane Hans were left outside the city walls where there is the covered fruit and vegetable bazaar today. The Ali Bargut Han was also outside the city walls in the place of the Urfa Passage. Photographs from the archives show that these buildings were still standing until 1955.
The Aslanlı Han, adjacent to the Old Goldsmith Bazaar on the left side of the road from the Old Arasa Bath to the Balıklı Göl was demolished during the road construction works in 1973. Two stilized lion reliefs are preserved in the Urfa Museum as the only remnants of that han.
The Cesur Han was located outside the city walls where there is the Harran Hotel today. The Hacı Ali Ağa Han was at the place of the present Gazi Highschool and Küsto’s Han (the Zencirli Han) was at the place of the Kapaklı Passage at Sarayönü. Photographs from the archives show that these buildings were also still standing until 1955.
The city had two caravanserails in 1517 when it fell under Ottoman rule. It is estimated that the number of hans became six in 1649, seven in 1867, nine in 1883, eleven just before 1891 and thirtytwo in 1894. The fall in the number of hans to twenty in 1927 indicates the regression in the commercial life of the city which had a high trade potential at late 19. century.
The fact that only 11 of the 32 hans that have been determined have survived to the present is an evidence of how rapidly our cultural heritage is being ruined. Considering that most of these hans were devastated quite recently, it emerges that the destruction is growing day by day.
Urfa’da günümüze gelememiş 13 hanın yerleri belirlenmiş olup, belirlenen bu 13 hanı, tarihi saptanabilen ve saptanamayan hanlar olarak iki gruba ayırmak mümkündür.
Tarihi Saptanabilen Hanlar
1373 yılında yazılmış bir vakfiyede Sarraf Seyfeddin Hanı’ndan söz edilmektedir. Han, Memlük Dönemi’ne ait olup, Urfa’daki en erken tarihli han olmalıdır
Tarihi Saptanamayan Hanlar
Askeriye (Hacı Kara Ağa Hanı) sur dışında, bugünkü hükümet konağının yerinde bulunmaktaydı. Eski ve Yeni Gazhane hanları, sur dışında, şimdiki sebze ve meyve halinin yerinde, Ali Bargut Hanı ise sur dışında şimdiki Urfa Pasajı’nın yerindeydi. Arşiv fotoğraflarından yapıların 1955 yılına kadar sağlam oldukları görülmektedir.
Eski Arasa Hamamı’ndan Balıklı Göl’e giden yolun sağında, Eski Kuyumcu Pazarı’na bitişik olan Aslanlı Han, 1973 yılında yol açım çalışmaları sırasında yıktırılmıştır. Yapıdan, günümüze yalnızca Urfa Müzesi’nde koruma altına alınan iki stilize aslan kabartması kalabilmiştir.
Cesur Han, sur dışında bugünkü Harran Oteli’nin yerinde, Hacı Ali Ağa Hanı şimdiki Gazi Lisesi yerinde, Küsto’nun Hanı (Zencirli Han) ise Sarayönü’ndeki Kapaklı Pasaj’ın yerinde bulunmaktaydı. Arşiv fotoğraflarından üç hanın da1955 yılına kadar sağlam oldukları görülmektedir.
Saptanan 32 handan 11 tanesinin günümüze gelmiş olması, kültür varlıklarımızın hızlı bir şekilde tahrip edildiğini göstermektedir. Bu hanların büyük bir çoğunluğunun yakın zamanlarda yok edildiğini düşünürsek, bu tahribatın gün geçtikçe daha da yoğunlaştığı anlaşılmaktadır.
Primary Language | Turkish |
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Journal Section | RESEARCH |
Authors | |
Publication Date | April 15, 2006 |
Published in Issue | Year 2006 Volume: 15 Issue: 1 |