Sweaty merchants have given way to trendy tourists and horses to flashy cars, but oriental-looking “khans” in the heart of Bucharest are getting a new lease on life after marathon restoration works. Similar to the caravansaries that once dotted the Persian and Ottoman empires, roadside inns known as khans flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries in Romania, as the country at the crossroads of East and West attracted merchants from across Europe. The fortified structures built around a square courtyard comprised trader stalls, stables, and accommodation on the upper floor.

Read More: Bucharest ‘Khans’ Reborn After Decades of Neglect