Night in a Caravansary

Constellation Orion and bright star Sirius shine in the starry sky of desert as seen in a winter night of Yazd province in central Iran. This view from inside historic caravansary (caravanserai) of Kharanaq reminds us how old-time desert travelers and caravans were amazed by the beauty of night sky. Caravansary (Persian word for caravan house) is an old time roadside inn, a place for travelers to rest and recover from the day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia, North Africa, and South-Eastern Europe.