Bagh-e Sheikh Caravanserai

Bagh-e Sheikh Caravanserai, also known as Abdolghaffar Khan Caravanserai, stands next to the village of Bagh-e Sheikh in the Central District of Saveh County, Markazi Province, about 8 kilometres from the city of Saveh. This historic caravanserai was built on one of the region's old routes and once offered a resting place to caravans, merchants and travellers moving between Qom, Isfahan, Hamadan, Qazvin and Tabriz. Bagh-e Sheikh Caravanserai is one of the few surviving buildings of the Zand era in Iran. It was added to Iran's National Heritage list in 1975 under registration number 1185. In 2023 it was also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with 53 other historic caravanserais of Iran, as part of the "Iranian Caravanserais" serial property, which showcases the architectural diversity of caravanserais, their adaptation to the climate, and their historic role along Iran's trade and pilgrimage routes.

With an area of about 4,800 square metres, Bagh-e Sheikh Caravanserai is one of the outstanding examples of four-iwan caravanserais in the hot, dry regions of Iran. The building has a four-sided plan with a square central courtyard, and the main iwans stand on all four sides of the courtyard. Four towers at the corners of the building, two twelve-sided towers on either side of the entrance and two round towers on the opposite side, are among its most distinctive features. Besides their architectural role, they once served for the security and lookout of the caravanserai. From the southeast side, the entrance leads into a spacious, lofty vestibule (hashti) decorated with kar-bandi (ribbed vaulting) and plaster muqarnas, topped by an octagonal cap; this element is considered one of the caravanserai's distinguishing features. Around the courtyard, cells and small iwans were built for travellers to stay in, while the rear sections housed stables and areas for keeping livestock. The presence of a water reservoir (ab-anbar) and a hosseiniyeh in the surrounding complex also shows that a set of services grew up alongside this roadside building. The use of brick in the walls and decoration, stone in the foundations, and ornamental features such as brickwork, kar-bandi and muqarnas add to the building's architectural value.

To reach Bagh-e Sheikh Caravanserai, take the road from the city of Saveh towards the village of Bagh-e Sheikh; the building stands near the village, in an area with views over the Saveh plain. Because the region lies on the edge of hot, dry areas, autumn, winter and early spring are the best times to visit and explore the surroundings of the caravanserai. On hot summer days, it is better to visit during the cooler hours of the day. You can combine your visit to the caravanserai with a walk through the village of Bagh-e Sheikh and a look at other historic features of the area, including the water reservoir and the tekyeh. When visiting this historic monument, avoid touching or damaging the walls and decorations, writing graffiti, moving building materials, or entering protected areas. Keeping the village quiet and peaceful, taking your rubbish with you, and avoiding damage to the surrounding farmland and vegetation are also important principles of responsible tourism in this area.