How lucky am I?

I present you Millet Hanı. Probably you already know it. It’s one of the most famous inns in Gaziantep for it’s history and location in the cultural heart of the city.


It is thought to be built in the years 1571-1572, serving in the beginning as an inn for travelers.

It is a two-storey building, with a 18 x 24 meter-sized courtyard. It has Ottoman inn architecture once it was built during Ottoman Empire period. Comparing to other inns, it has the particularity of owning stables on the southern part without connection to the courtyard. Moreover, there are single-storey shops opening out to the street at the northern front.

Millet Hanı technical plant

Some parts were completely ruined, so in 2001-2003, as a result of its purchase by Mustafa Geylani, Architect Abdulkadir Evşen enterprised a restoration process. In the following Internet link you can see the photos of the restoration and appreciate the brilliance of the engineering effort to bring back life to the place:

http://millethani.net/restorasyon_1.html

 Today it is a spot where the “new travelers”, tourists or just visitors, can find quite a few Turkish crafts.



Ebru



Sculpture

Bakır Işleme
 

Hand-made bijou

Painting

Embroidery

This is the place where I go everyday to perform the project activities. If I feel tired, I go a little bit to Süleyman usta’s shop to appreciate his wonderful technique, or maybe to the mosaic shop to see what’s new. Perhaps opening the window and taking a look at the Castle will do it.



View to Gaziantep's Castle from Millet Hanı



Can you imagine a better place to go to work everyday? I can’t…

Paco