You cannot expect but this from the ancient land of Yazd. It is full of historic structures, and in addition to them, there are two caravanserais with the same name, one of which is built of stone with a history of many centuries, and the other is made of brick and has a historic look to it. Both are called “Anjireh Caravanserai”: Anjirehye Sangi (stoned) and Anjirehye Ajori (brick).
Among the 23 nationally registered historical caravanserais of Yazd, the “Anjirehye” caravansary is the oldest. This caravanserai was built in the Anjireh desert, in Ardakan city. In the census of the 1980s, Anjire village was home to only five households. In the census of 2015, their number reached three households, which may be empty now. This village and its vast desert are located in the historical part of Kharanagh. There is a lead mine there that is being exploited at present.
Features of Anjirehye Sangi caravanserai
This 700-year-old caravanserai was built during the reign of the Mughal Ilkhans. It was built on the ancient road that leads Yazd to Sogand and Tabas salt fields. Some archeologists give signs that indicate an older history for the Anjirehye Sang caravanserai, and believe that it was not built in the period of Ilkhans but in the 4th century. Another reason is that Estakhari (geographer of the 4th century) mentioned this house and its pond in his book and wrote that it was a place for caravans to rest. However, during the time of Estakhri (historian) this was not a caravanserai.
The stone caravanserai of Anjireh is now half-ruined, and because it is far from the main road, it is on the verge of destruction. Only a small part of its roofs and entrance doors remains (ISNA news agency report – Shahrivar 1400). At the same time, the head of the cultural heritage department of Ardakan City announced the start of the revival of the stone caravanserai of Anjireh and the reconstruction of the roof and the plastering of the ceiling (ISNA-Amordad 1400).
Anjirehye Sangi caravanserai is an octagonal structure. Although it is made of stone, bricks are also used in some places. Its interior space is slightly different from the interior of other caravanserai structures in Iran. The stables are on both sides of the structure, and the entrance doors open to the courtyard of the caravanserai and the vestibule of the structure. The rooms also have ledges. It has been a while that there are rumors of the world registration of some carvansarais in Yazd. We do not know whether a building with such an extent of destruction can be registered globally?
The brick Anjireh Carvansarai
500 meters away from the Anjirehye Sangi caravanserai stands another caravanserai structure, built in the Qajar period, with a beautiful view. The caravanserai has been built with four porches and four guard towers at its four corners to create charming architecture. Its brick arrays also have a certain glory and as a midway caravanserai, worthy of attention. There are halls on both sides of the yard and the reservoir and qanat were meant to meet the drinking water needs of the travelers and caravans. Since most of the material used in building this caravanserai is brick, therefore in order to differentiate it from the stone caravanserai, it is called the brick Anjireh caravanserai.
Regarding the structure of the caravanserai, it is worth mentioning that was customary for travelers to bring all the lodging facilities that they needed, with them. For example, they carried cooking utensils and mats and blankets with them. The room left at a traveler’s disposal was empty. The traveler did all the work himself, or his servants took care of him. Putting the horses or camels in the stables/sheds and feeding them was also a task that he had to do himself. That is why no money was taken from the passengers who stayed in the caravanserai.
