Historical Kurşunlu Inn (İsmail Bey Inn)

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore Historical Kurşunlu Inn, built by Candaroğulları Bey Kemalettin İsmail Bey in 1454, is the most monumental and magnificent caravanserai in the Black Sea region of the pre-Ottoman and Early Ottoman architectural transition period. The two-storey building, with a large rectangular plan and an open courtyard with a portico in the middle, took its name from the lead coatings covering its roof. The ground floor of the inn was designed as vaulted warehouses for the camels, horses and commercial cargo of the caravans; On the upper floor, there were rooms with stoves and windows where the merchants stayed. Located on the main trade artery connecting the Silk Road and Black Sea ports to Central Anatolia, the inn has been the heart of silk, spice, Kastamonu copper and wool trade for centuries. The inn, which has undergone a comprehensive restoration and now serves as a boutique accommodation and cultural venue preserving its historical texture, takes its visitors to the caravan journeys of the 15th century with its fairy-tale courtyard and stone arches. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features It is located in the historical bazaars area of Kastamonu city center, between the Nasrullah Mosque and the Bakırcılar Bazaar, at an altitude of approximately 785 meters. It reflects the identity of the historical city with the centuries-old stone arastas and street texture around it. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees