Near the Yeni Camii and at the edge of the bazaar area are some small hans where carpets and the raw material, wool, are sold.
The ‘Vezir Hanı’ (Inn of the Vizier) consists of a complex of buildings, all having a ground floor and a first floor, and centered around three open courtyards. It is dated from 1700-1725 (Ottoman period). On one of the arches, an inscription was found (in Latin script) saying “Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Paşa Vakfi 1723” (= vakıf of Damat Ibrahim Paşa from Nevşehir). Possibly some European traders (from France or Italy) had an office and store rooms inside this han.
‘vakıf’ = an Islamic charitable foundation that will either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes.
Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1666–1730) served as Grand Vizier for Sultan Ahmed III. He was also the head of a ruling family which had great influence in the court of Ahmed III. The epithet "Nevşehirli" (meaning "from Nevşehir", West of Kayseri) is used to distinguish this Grand Vizier from another, earlier Damat Ibrahim Pasha (who died in 1601).
Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen
Sources: ‘Kayseri Kültür Varlıkları Envanteri’ (Kayseri Belediyesi 2008) & Wikipedia .