Hasan Paşa Hanı

Hasan Pasha Hasan Paşa Hanı is a two-story caravanserai located on Gazi Street, directly opposite the entrance of the Ulu Camii, in the historic trade center of Diyarbakır. According to inscriptions on the building, construction began between 1572 and 1575 under the direction of Vezirzade Hasan Paşa, son of Sokollu Mehmet Paşa and then-governor of Diyarbakır. However, due to Hasan Paşa’s reassignment to another post, the construction was not completed and was finished during the tenure of the subsequent governor, Özdemiroğlu Osman Paşa. Inscriptions detailing who commissioned the building and when are located on three sides: the east, south, and above the main entrance.

Hasan Paşa Hanı (Diyarbakır Governorship)

History and Testimonies

Hasan Paşa Hanı has stood for centuries as one of Diyarbakır’s most historic structures. In 1612, the Polish traveler Simeon, in his travelogue, noted that the caravanserai contained “a large number of rooms and two large stables below ground capable of housing five hundred horses.” The seventeenth-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi described the han as “a structure of exceptional solidity and durability, like no other.” In the first half of the nineteenth century, the English traveler Buckingham, in his 1815 notes, confirmed the building’s continued commercial significance by observing that grain markets gathered within its walls.

Hasan Paşa Hanı (Diyarbakır Governorship)

Architectural Features

Hasan Paşa Hanı follows a rectangular plan and consists of three levels: a ground floor, a courtyard level, and an upper floor. The courtyard is rectangular in shape and occupies a spacious area. At its center stands a simple, unadorned fountain of baldachin type, supported by six columns and arched lintels, and covered by a dome. This fountain adds a modest yet elegant touch to the courtyard. Access to the upper floor is provided by staircases located to the right and left of the entrance and eastern eyvans. The upper floors feature arcades, behind which rooms are arranged in sequence. The basement level contains stables for the caravans’ animals; doors on either side of the vaulted entrance hall lead into these stables.

The façades of the han employ horizontal courses of black and white stone, emphasizing its rectangular form and giving it a more imposing appearance. The façades terminate in a cornice supported by corbels. There is one entrance on each of the west, south, and east sides; the western entrance opens onto Gazi Street, while the others open into adjacent enclosed bazaars. Beneath the western façade are vaulted shops. Hasan Paşa Hanı, the second-largest caravanserai in Diyarbakır after Deliller Hanı, stands out for its courtyard layout and two-story architecture.

Hasan Paşa Hanı (Diyarbakır Governorship)

Current Condition

Today, Hasan Paşa Hanı serves as a tourist destination and has been restored in recent years for public use. The ground-floor shops and rooms have been converted into commercial spaces and retail outlets, while the courtyard functions as a public gathering and relaxation area. Parts of the former stables, where caravans and animals once spent the night, have been repurposed as enclosed restaurants and bookstores. This adaptive reuse has allowed the han to preserve its historical fabric while meeting contemporary needs.

Hasan Paşa Hanı has held a significant place in Diyarbakır’s commercial and social life and continues to exist as a structure notable for its enduring functionality and architectural beauty, bridging the past with the present.

Hasan Paşa Hanı (Diyarbakır Governorate)