The History and Architecture of Sırçalı Madrasa in Konya

The Sırçalı Madrasa, located in Konya, was built by Bedreddin Muslih, the tutor of Sultan II. Alaeddin Keykubat, in 1242-43. The madrasa was built to teach religious sciences such as fiqh, interpretation, and hadith and to train religious scholars adhering to the Hanafi school of thought. The inscription in the center of the hexagonal structure located inside the arch of the main hall states that it was built by the master Mehmet from Tus.

Sırçalı Madrasa was used as a madrasa during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The student rooms of the madrasah, which was abandoned in the 17th century, were demolished. In the 19th century, education continued in rooms made of adobe.

The madrasa was restored and started to be protected in 1954 and opened to visitors in 1960 as the "Tomb Monuments" section of the Konya Museum. It was restored in 1969 by the Ministry of Culture by its original form.

Restored again with an exhibition arrangement between 1988-1990, the garden of the museum hosted a Byzantine catacomb in the underground which, was repaired and opened to visit. In the Sırçalı Madrasa Tomb Monuments Museum, tombstones belonging to the Seljuk, Karamanoğlu and Ottoman Periods, which are valuable in terms of history and art, collected from cemeteries that have disappeared over time, are exhibited.

The madrasa is a two-story open courtyard, symmetrical and balanced in a plan, with an arched hall built of cut stone. It is among the earliest examples of Seljuk madrasas. It takes its name from its ceramic decorations. The gate and its remnants behind it have survived in good condition to the present day.

The entrance to the madrasa on the eastern facade, made of cut stone, is adorned with protruding geometric borders and inscriptions. The two small windows on either side of the gate create a unique appearance.

On the right side of the entrance gate, there is a tomb that can be reached by two steps, where Bedreddin Muslih (d. 1258) is buried. The tomb is constructed with a zigzag pattern of brickwork and is covered with a dome. The crypt section is located beneath the tomb. It is noted that the coffins in the tomb are decorated with ceramic ornaments.

When entering the madrasa courtyard from the crown gate, the sections containing the stairs leading to the upper floors can be seen.

The name of the madrasa's architect is inscribed on the left side of the arch of the hall. On the opposite side, there is a Persian inscription that reads: "My work is unparalleled in the world. I am not eternal, but this work is eternal as a memory." Two large domed classrooms can be found on the right and left of the main hall.

As with other buildings constructed in Konya during the Seljuk period, various materials were used together in this madrasa. Most of the walls are made of rubble stone, with occasional wooden belts and lintels placed in between. The prominent faces of the madrasa are covered with cut stone. Some of the interior walls, arches, vaults, and domes are made of brick.

The madrasa has a rectangular courtyard with a central pool. The courtyard is surrounded by porticos on three sides. It can be understood that the remaining parts of the porticos have wall surfaces covered with various shapes of glazed brick and tiles.

On the right and left sides of the courtyard, there are four student cells each. Together with the rooms on the upper floor, the total number of rooms is 16. The doors and windows of the rooms open to the courtyard. The main hall, which is the most decorative and ornate part of the structure, is in quite a good condition today. However, the hexagonal tiles up to the location of the hall arch and the tiles on the upper part of the hall have fallen off and deteriorated.