Dudehak Caravanserai

The Dudehak Caravanserai (کاروانسرای دودهک) is located on the Semnan-Damghan road in the Markazi province. The antiquity of this building - in the Seljuk architectural style - is traced back to the Safavid period and is among the 999 caravanserais built during the Shah Abbas era although its architecture is of the Seljuk era style. The inscription adorning the caravanserai’s portico included Shah Soleiman’s name and its date of 1818 corresponds to the reign of the Safavid monarch Soleiman I, however, the Abjad-encoded date of 1000 dates back to Shah Safi.

The caravanserai measures 70.5 by 60.5 meters. Located on the banks of the Qomrud River, brick, stone, lime and stucco were used for the construction of this historic building. The ceiling of the buildings was covered with stucco and the roof with straw and mud. The foundation of this building was built with stone while for the façade brick was used.

Passing through the entrance gateway is a porch spanning 11.3 meters long by 3.9 meters wide with stairs leading to an almost square shaped courtyard 27.2 long by 27.1 meters wide containing a pool. 

The caravanserai consists of a four-iwan courtyard with a projecting portal and round turrets on the exterior. The eastern iwan sits on top of an underground cistern and to its right side are two chambers. The first is a 4.8-meter sided square with a domed ceiling which was connected to the adjacent room that was used as a prayer room. Verandas on each side encircle the courtyard and the caravansaries chambers are located behind the verandas.

The four corners of the caravanserai are not identical. While north-east and south-west corner functioned as storage areas, the other two corners acted as stables. On each of the northern, eastern and western walls of this caravanserai, a watchtower has been installed to show the function of a military fortress.

Situated close to a nearby bridge (now in ruins) and along the historic route of the Silk Road, the caravanserai was a resting and trading place for caravans. Both the bridge and the caravanserai have sections that had been destroyed over the years and restored and rebuilt in recent years. It currently acts as a functional boarding facility with 17 rooms which can accommodate up to 60 guests. Beyond its regular rooms, the Shahneshin Room and Vazirneshin Room are considered its luxury rooms. The caravanserai also contains a restaurant.

Dudehak Caravanserai was added to the Iran National Heritage List in 1998, administered by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran with number 1983.