Khan al-Gumruk — the Customs Caravanserai — was the main customs house and merchant hostel of Ottoman Mosul, positioned near the Tigris riverfront to handle the goods flowing along one of the great trade routes of the Middle East. Caravanserais like this were the infrastructure of long-distance commerce: merchants arriving in the city could store their goods, stable their animals, sleep safely, and conduct business in the surrounding souqs.
The building follows the standard caravanserai plan: a large courtyard surrounded by rooms on two or more floors, with storage below and lodging above. It dates to the Ottoman period and is one of the few surviving examples of this building type in Mosul. The structure has suffered damage and years of neglect but remains standing and is included in the broader Old City restoration project. It sits close to Souq Bab al-Saray and the old riverfront market area, making it a natural stop on a walk through the commercial heart of the historic city.