were Seljuk schools where people received education in culture, science
In Medrese, as in today's high schools and universities, education
was given in four main subjects; Religion and law, language and literature,
philosophy and sciences. There was not an established period of time for
would complete their education in different periods of time since the requirement
to complete education was to finish books. Educational sessions would start
after the morning prayer and continue until the noon prayer. Then students
would retreat to their study cells surrounding the courtyard.
would usually have Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays off. Linked to mosques
and mescids, first medresses were special places for education either near
these buildings or in them. Later on Seljuk Sultans had medresses built
-usually as medical schools-,named after their wives as well as themselves.
think that the origin of the architecture of medresses came from
Egypt and Central Asia. Anatolian Seljuk Medresses, which started appearing
in the 12th century, had either open or covered courtyards. Medresses with
open courtyards are the most common type. Along with the ones with two
storeys, this type of medresse may have one, two, three or four eyvans.
(Eyvan: three-walled vaulted antechamber)
second main type of medresses are the ones that have a large central place
covered with a big dome instead of an open courtyard.
THE HUNAT HATUN
The Medresse, established
in 1237/1238 by Hunad (Mahperi) Hatun, the wife of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat
I, is located in the Hunad Hatun Külliye, (Külliye: a collection
of buildings of an institution, usually composed of schools,
a mosque, lunatic asylum, hospital, kitchen, etc.) composed of a mosque,
a Turbe (tomb) and a bath house.
The Medrese, with a rectangular
plan, and open courtyard and two eyvans, has round supporting towers. Even
though the eastern portal has partly collapsed, it is obviously a good
example of Seljuk stonemasonry. On the long sides of the courtyard, surrounded
with arched high porticoes, are a total of sixteen vaulted-cells, eight
on each side. The vaults, walls and the ceilings of the side cells are
covered with regular stone. The places to the left and right of the entrance
hall are symmetrical and the mescid is in the right wing.
The main eyvan, across the
entrance, has a monumental appearance due to its depth and high barrel
vaults. Its outer frame and the niches on the side walls are decorated
with geometrical motifs. To the left of the main eyvan is the square planned
classroom and to the right are the rooms with internal divisions.
It is located by the side
of the UrgupSoganli road in the village of Damsa (Taskinpasa), 20km south
of Ürgüp. The Medrese, built by the Karamanids (the Karamanids:
a fourteenth-century dynasty in Konya, that dominated this part
of Anatolia for almost 250 years.) is 22.60 m by 23.85 m.
Its portal, the mihrab in
its mescid, its door and windows were laid using stone cut into blocks
whereas rough stones were used in building the walls. Although its upper
stores has completely collapsed, it is understood from the flight of stairs
to the left of the entrance that it had at least two storeys.
The impressive stonemasonry
seen on the portal on the western side is in classical Seljuk style. The
portal is decorated entirely with geometrical and floral designs. The inscription,
that should be found above the entrance, has been lost. To the right of
the entrance with a basket-handled arch is the mescid of the medresse.
Its mihrab, like the portal, is decorated with rich floral motifs. The
upper part of it is embellished with lines of palm leaves whereas floral
designs are used with the double lined border.
Surrounding the rectangular
planned open courtyard are a number of unconnected rooms.