Kasımiye Medresesi

Kasımiye Medresesi, located on a commanding position overlooking the Mesopotamian Plain to the southwest of the provincial center, is a historical madrasa that has survived to the present day. Construction began during the Artuklu period (13th century), but was left incomplete due to raids by Timur forces under Mongol. It was finally completed between 1457 and 1502 during the reign of Medrese ruler Cihangiroğlu November Sultan (Sultan Kasım). Although no exact construction date is known, it is dated to 1469 and thus bears the name of Sultan Kasım. The absence of an inscription at Medrese has led to some uncertainty in historical records.

Kasımiye Medresesi (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)

Architectural Features

Kasımiye Medresesi is a two-story, single-iwan structure arranged around a single open madrasa courtyard. Two terraces were constructed using finely cut stone and brick. ^【1】 The building, situated with its southern facade facing the plain, is one of the largest structures in Mardin. Notable for its stonework and decorative motifs, building was designed as a külliye together with a mosque and tomb. The monumental crown entrance is adorned with compositions of floral and geometric motifs.

Entrance eyvan (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)

Access to Medrese is via a barrel-vaulted corridor entering through the crowned gate on the southern facade. Surrounding the large vaulted courtyard are twenty-three room (eleven on the ground floor and twelve on the upper floor). On the northern side of the courtyard stands a large iwan that extends to the second floor, with a square-shaped pool in front of it. This pool is designed to channel water through a syphon system. The Selsebil structure of the eyvan, while typical in Mardin architecture for climatic and visual purposes, is said here to have been used to capture starlight reflections during night-time astronomy lessons. To the west is a small mosque and to the east a mosque rises two stories high. In the southwest corner of the courtyard, within a domed tomb chamber with segmented vaulting, two symbolic coffin are located; these are believed to belong to Sultan Kasım and his sister.

3D plan (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)

The height of the classroom doors, slightly over one meter, reflects the concept that “students should bow their heads when entering the presence of their teacher, showing due respect.” It is generally accepted that the symbols on the doors indicated which subjects were taught in each room. ^【2】 The medrese was planned to provide education according to both Hanafi and Shafi'i schools of thought, and two mosques were built accordingly.

History and Use

Kasımiye Medresesi is considered one of the final examples of Artuklu architecture. Completed during the Akkoyunlu period, it became the wealthiest and highest-revenue endowment in Mardin during the 16th century. Its income derived from real estate rentals and village-mezra land shares; expenditures were divided into two categories: salaries for staff and living expenses for teachers and students. The medrese provided uninterrupted education until the First World War, after which it was used as a military barracks during and following the war. In the final years of Ottoman, declining revenues due to war and migration like led to its closure, and it remained abandoned for decades. Restoration attempts in 1964 and 1990 were unsuccessful, but after a restoration completed in 2008, it was reopened for cultural use. Today it functions as the Cezerî Art Museum .

The medreses served not only as centers for religious sciences (tafsir, hadith, fiqh, kalam) but also for positive sciences (medicine, astronomy, mathematics, chemistry). It is said that natural sciences were taught on the first floor and religious sciences on the second. Arabic was the primary language of instruction; instrumental sciences such as philosophy, logic, and rhetoric were also included in the curriculum.

Kasımiye Medresesi (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)

Legends and Investigations

Legends abound that Sultan Kasım’s uncle, Uzun Hasan, was murdered in the selsebil eyvan and that the stains on the walls are his blood. However, these stains have been scientifically examined (using Kastle-Mayer, Adler, Luminol tests, and X-ray diffraction analysis) and found to originate from a vegetable-based pigment.

Kasımiye Medresesi (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)

Location and Visit Information

Kasımiye Medresesi is located to the southwest of Mardin, approximately 250 meters beyond the city stadium, by turning right after the fire station garage. Opening hours are 08:30–17:30 in winter and 08:30–19:00 in summer.

Kasımiye Medresesi is one of Mardin’s most striking structures, notable for its architectural harmony, stonework, and historical significance in education. This külliye, bearing traces of both Artuklu and Akkoyunlu periods, continues to be valued today as a historical and cultural heritage.

Kasımiye Medresesi (T.C. Mardin Artuklu University)