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 These were
Seljuk schools where people received education in
culture, science and art. 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 education.
Students 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.
They 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.
Researchers
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)
The 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 MADRASAH
 The Medrese,
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.
THE
TASKINPASA MADRASAH
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.
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