Khan al-basha

Khan al-Basha is a structure of historical importance. One of the most impressive khans in the country - is currently undergoing rehabilitation and renovation.

Khan al-Basha, located in front of the Church of the Annunciation, is the most impressive and largest of the five khans built in Nazareth. The Khan bears the name of Acre Governor Suleiman Basha, who took care of its restoration in 1814 (the date of construction is unknown).

Today, the Khan serves as an office building (among other things, the offices of the Nazareth Association for Culture and Tourism are housed in the Khan) and is intended for rehabilitation and preservation. 'Ann is a Persian word meaning road inn.

The Khanates developed in the Mamluk period under the influence of the prosperous trade between the West and the East. The khans were built along the main roads, especially along the Damascus-Cairo route, and served as stations that provided accommodation for convoys and passers-by, and as a place of safety following the deterioration of road safety during the disintegration of the Arab Empire.

They also served as stations for collecting road taxes and as part of the postal system in the empire. Urban khans also served as an addictive and commercial place as well as a place for storing goods and parking animals.

A parent typical of Khan is a square structure with rooms arranged around an open courtyard. An external gate opens to the inner courtyard inside which is the cistern.

There were khans whose inner façade was built in the shape of a vaulted stew, and in others the inner façade was built in the form of openings without a stew, i.e. rooms open directly to the courtyard. The shape of Khan al-Basha is a large courtyard surrounded by vault-shaped rooms on three fronts, while the fourth façade is a vaulted stew.

Near the entrance gate, two staircases led to the roof that was used for accommodation during the summer months. There is no sign of a water well or furniture, but it is safe to assume that there was a well in the center of the courtyard. Khan al-Basha was originally a one-story building, but at the end of the 19th century ten guest rooms were added, as a second floor. These rooms served as a modern hotel called Al-Hijaz.

Khan al-Basha was the first stop at the entrance to the city, as well as the last stop at the exit from it, and was therefore used to convey news and news. It of course also served as an important commercial center for the residents of the area. The importance of the khan can be learned from the painting of the English orientalist artist David Roberts: in an 1839 painting depicting the city, Khan al-Basha is the most prominent and impressive structure. Over the years, with the changes in transportation and lifestyles in general, the Khan declined in size and parts of it were converted into workshops, warehouses and offices.

As stated, this important Khan is facing renovation and preservation