Karatay Madrasah

The madrasah was constructed as “covered courtyard madrasah” type with a single iwan and single floor for teaching the sciences of hadith and interpretation during the Seljuk Period. The entrance is obtained from a blue and white marble portal at the south, which is a unique example of Seljuk stone workmanship. The inscription concerning its construction takes place over the door. There are selected Quran verses and hadiths on the other surfaces of the door.

Karatay Madrasah was built during the reign of İzzettin Keykavus II by Emir Celaleddin Karatay in 1251 (649 in Muslim calendar). Its architect is unknown. The madrasah, which was also used during the Ottoman Period, was abandoned in the end of the 19th century.

Karatay Madrasah, which occupies a significant place in tile workmanship of the Anatolian Seljuk Period, was opened to visit as “Tile Museum” in 1955.

The madrasah was constructed as “covered courtyard madrasah” type with a single iwan and single floor for teaching the sciences of hadith and interpretation during the Seljuk Period. The entrance is obtained from a blue and white marble portal at the south, which is a unique example of Seljuk stone workmanship. The inscription concerning its construction takes place over the door. There are selected Quran verses and hadiths on the other surfaces of the door.

A courtyard originally covered with a dome (now it is open) is entered through the portal, and then a door leads to the madrasah. The courtyard of the madrasah is covered by a dome, which has a lantern in the centre and covered by tile mosaics. Quran verses are written within borders on the upper part of the walls of the drum of the dome and on the panels over the cell doors. Besmele and Âyet-el Kürsî (256th verse of the 2nd Sura of the Quran) are inscribed on the arch of the barrel-vaulted main iwan in the west of the building. The names of the Prophets Muhammed, Christ, Moses and David as well as names of the Four Caliphs, Ebubekır, Ömer, Osman and Ali take place on the triangles that are transitional elements to the dome.

The dome-covered cell to the south of iwan is the tomb of Celâleddin Karatay.

The dome-covered cell on the north of iwan was previously ruined and it is completed after the rescue excavation and restoration studies in 2006.

Great part of the tile mosaics on the madrasah walls decomposed in the past. Colours used in ceramics are turquoise, dark blue, and black.

A channel in the east-west direction covered with wooden timbers was found within the main iwan during rescue excavation in 2006. In addition, a water pipe was discovered in the cell on the north of the iwan for discharging drainpipe that takes place in the edge of the central courtyard, and a part of it is covered by glass and displayed.

Restoration studies and exhibition-arranging studies were carried out and the display system was renewed in the years 2006-2008.

Source: Info Board