Gambler’s Inn

The Kumarcilar Han, also called the Gambler’s Inn, is a caravansarai located in Nicosia.

Thought to be built around the end of the 17th century, it is much smaller and modest when compared with Büyük Han, but nonetheless typical of an Ottoman inner city commercial inn.

In the middle ages, merchants used to group themselves together according to their trades. When travelling, merchants from the same town or trade would favour certain hans, which would tend to assume the name of that town or trade. The Gambler’s Inn was originally known as the Violinist’s or Fiddler’s Inn – it is not known when, or indeed why the name changed.

Similar to all caravansarai, the entrance leads to an open-air courtyard, which is surrounded by a two-storey building, originally containing 56 rooms. Those on the upper floors were used by travellers, while those on the ground floor were used for their animals and belongings.

The ground floor rooms have stone floors and an external window. A stair leads to the upper storey, where the floor is marble and some rooms contain fireplaces.

A monumental carved gate at the entrance dates to before the Ottoman conquest, and experts believe that the structure stands on a much earlier building, possibly the ruins of a monastery.

This Han has been fully restored and is used as an attraction with cafes, restaurants, arts and craft shops.