XIV AD - Vayots Dzor Region

"Selim Caravanserai - General View" © 2000 Nigol Aprahamian, All Rights Reserved

In medieval Armenia numerous buildings had been built along commercial routes for the accommodation of travelers. One of those, the caravanserai of Selim, was built in 1332 by Prince Chesar Orbelian, according to an inscription in Armenian and Arabic. This caravanserai offered hospitality to travelers who used the highway crossing the Selim (Sulema) mountains. The best preserved of all medieval caravanserais in Armenia, it comprises a vaulted anteroom and a large hall, partitioned into three sections lighted through openings in the ceiling. This building is an excellent example of Armenian secular architecture in the Middle Ages.  [Paragraph Source: Monuments of Armenia]

Selim Caravansaray** lies below the road just before the summit on the south side of Selim Pass (2410 m), a splendid relic of the days when an international trade route connected Vayots Dzor to the Sevan basin and points North. According to the Armenian inscription on the right inside the door, Prince Chesar Orbelian and his brothers built this rest-house in 1332 in the reign of Abu Said Il Khan, "the ruler of the world," whose death in 1335 deprived the world of an enlightened Mongol despot and ushered in a new wave of invasions. The Persian inscription on the outside lintel (almost effaced by recent vandals, gives the date 1326-7. The Armenian inscription reads: 

"In the name of the Almighty and powerful God, in the year 1332, in the world-rule of Busaid Khan, I Chesar son of Prince of Princes Liparit and my mother Ana, grandson of Ivane, and my brothers, handsome as lions, the princes Burtel, Smbat and Elikom of the Orbelian nation, and my wife Khorishah daughter of Vardan [and ...] of the Senikarimans, built this spiritual house with our own funds for the salvation of our souls and those of our parents and brothers reposing in Christ, and of my living brothers and sons Sargis, Hovhannes the priest, Kurd and Vardan. We beseech you, passers-by, remember us in Christ. The beginning of the house {took place} in the high-priesthood of Esai, and the end, thanks to his prayers, in the year 1332. 

The best preserved caravansaray in Armenia, Selim is built of basalt blocks, with a cavernous central hall for animals separated from the two vaulted side aisles by rows of stone mangers. Bring a flashlight (though the dim light through the smoke holes in the roof adds a proper medieval flavor). There is a little spring/fountain monument just uphill beyond the caravansaray. The bad road continues N over the pass and ultimately to Martuni.  [3 Paragraph Source: Rediscover Armenia Guide]

One of them is Selim's caravanserai, which is situated in the Selim (Sulema) mountain pass, 2410m above sea level, on the old road that connected historical Gegharkunik with Vayots Dzor. According to the two building inscriptions (one of which is in Arabic) the caravanserai was built in 1332 by Orbelyan Chesar prince.

The caravanserai is built from basalt and stretches from east to west. It belongs to one-hall three-nave type of caravanserais of Armenia. From the eastern part of the very large hall (13,0 x 26,0m) a chapel was added (now half-destroyed).

The hall is divided into three naves by means of seven pairs of pillars. From the western side, at the end of the narrow naves, small rooms were built for the men that accompanied the caravan. The animals of the caravan settled in the three-nave hall's narrow naves, where stony troughs were built for them between the pillars and in one of the corners of the hall there was a whole water-pool.

The roof of the three-nave hall was realized by means of the three parallel vaults (the middle one of which is taller and wider than other two). As a support for the vaults served the support- arches stretching from pillar to pillar (in the middle nave) and from pillars to the walls (in the adjacent naves). Through three roofings of the roof some light falls into the hall and airs it too.

The only entry (1,65x 2,0m) to the three-nave hall is from the adjacent vestibule. It's a rectangular room (5,35x 9,0m) covered with a roof leaing on three arches. From east these arches lean on the window edges and from west on the polyhedral pillars. The building inscription in Armenian was inscribed on the eastern wall, opposite the entry leading to the wall. The different size and style bays covered with stalactic give the vestibule a richer look.

The vestibule too has a gable roof with a single roofing. Just like the roof of the three-nave hall it is tiled. The archirtecture of the caravanserai correctly expresses its meaning. The inside was built by the building's practical style. The architecture of the caravanserai concluded in plain walls is simple in general.

The only place covered with architectural decorations is the southern wall of the vestibule together with its entry. The entry is covered with a half-rounded lintel on which is the Arabic inscription. The hole of the entry is crowned with stalactic passage.

From right and left sides, over the stalactic-decorated belts there are two high reliefs of a winged animal (from left) and a bull (from right).

Selims caravanserai was restored in 1956-1959.

Another smaller caravanserai is situated 12km down the Selim's caravanserai, on the southern foot of the mountain pass, near the Lernantsk (Aghdenk) village. It belongs to the type of one-nave caravanserais and is also built from basalt. The foundation date isn't known. A smaller hall (7,8x10,8m) is covered with a cylindric vault leaning on 6 supporting arches.

There are stony troughs inside. The only entry is from the western side. This monument too is lit by means of the roofing, which together with some other data shows the influence of Armenian residential architecture on that of caravanserais.

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