A Study of the Architecture of Entrances: The Case Study of Safavids'Caravanserais in Khorasan-e Razavi

The entrance spaces are belonged to the main parts of every architectural construct. Entrances in caravanserais are constituted from several parts; some of them are included as: 1- High porch 2-Threshold 3- Vestibule. Entrances spaces have been built at the middle of one of the building fronts or along with the main Iwan with a Symmetrical design. All these have been built securely in a way that to be enforced enough to watch and control the goings and comings of the caravans and goods. The entrances spaces of the Safavid caravanserais in Khorasan often tend to south and east. The porches of such caravanserais often have been built to suggest the great glory, grandeur and beauty of the whole building, and a few of them have been built more ahead to the building. More than ninety percent of these caravanserais in the main roads especially in the road of great Khorasan have alcove. To build such numerous caravanserais has economic, religious, and many other causes. The entrances spaces in these caravanserais are generally are divided into two categories: first, simple entrances flushed with façade in a way that cannot be distinguished from far distances. Second, the entrances more ahead of building façade and are completely distinguished from the façade building.