Double Minaret Madrasa

Çifte Minareli Medrese is a very old school located in Erzurum. It was built during the Anatolian Seljuk period. Its name derives from the two tall minarets rising on either side of the entrance gate. These minarets are constructed of brick and decorated with blue tiles. The medrese is also sometimes referred to as the Hatuniye Medrese, as it is believed to have been commissioned by Huvand (Huand) Hatun, the daughter of Alaaddin Keykubat.

^{Çifte Minareli Medrese (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

The medrese, which functioned as a school in ancient times, was two-storied and featured a long central courtyard. Surrounding this courtyard were rooms where students attended lessons and covered walkways (revaks). The building contained a total of forty-two rooms, which were used both for studying and resting.

The most striking feature of the medrese is its front facade, known as the crown gate. This gate is richly decorated with stone carvings around its perimeter. On either side of the gate rise tall minarets. Although the upper sections of the minarets have collapsed over time, the blue-tiled inscriptions on their lower portions remain intact.

The stones surrounding the gate feature carvings of animals and natural motifs such as dragons, eagles, and the tree of life. These figures are seen both as protective symbols and as expressions of artistic skill. Additionally, some stones bear inscriptions of verses from the Quran. These decorations illustrate that the medrese was a place steeped in both knowledge and faith.

^{Interior View of Çifte Minareli Medrese (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Within the medrese is a special tomb structure known as a kümbet. Inside the kümbet are two lahits, or tombstones. However, it is not definitively known to whom these tombs belong. The top of the kümbet is covered by a small dome. A narrow staircase leads up to its interior, where a mihrab is also located. For this reason, the space was used for a time as a mescit (a small place of worship).

Çifte Minareli Medrese has undergone several restorations over time. At one point it served as a cannon foundry, then as a museum, and finally remained an empty structure. Today, this medrese still stands, telling us of the past’s devotion to knowledge and art.

^{Çifte Minareli Medrese (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Çifte Minareli Medrese is a unique structure, notable both for its size and its stonework. Once used for the pursuit of knowledge, it is now a historical treasure for all who wish to see the traces of the past.