Central Asian Caravanserai System

Timeline

1. 700–1000Khwarazm main road · KhwarazmArab–Persian empires built or converted caravanserais along key Silk Road routes, using courtyard layouts to accommodate caravans and livestock, maintained by taxes collected at checkpoints.
2. 1040–1110Northern and southern routes of Central Asia · Central AsiaAfter the Seljuks unified western Central Asia, road security improved; sultans and viziers funded new large caravanserais through religious endowments, forming a standardized chain of relay stations covering the empire.
3. 1111–1120Merv–Samarkand corridor · TransoxianaDuring Sanjar's stable reign, Central Asian caravan traffic reached its peak; caravanserais served not only travelers but also intelligence transmission, reception of envoys, and local markets.
4. 1157–1221Central Asian Silk Road corridor · Central AsiaThe empire's division and the Khwarazm–Mongol wars destroyed road security, and many caravanserais were looted or abandoned; after the Mongol conquest, some were rebuilt during the Ilkhanate period.