Meydan Medrese is an educational building located in Biçer Neighborhood, the center of Hakkâri province, Türkiye, dating back to the Ottoman period. According to its inscription, it was constructed in the year 1112 Hijri (1700–1701 CE). The medrese is one of the surviving monumental structures of the region. Established to teach Islamic sciences, it contributes to the historical fabric of the area both architecturally and culturally.
Meydan Medrese (Hakkâri Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism)
History
Meydan Medrese was built under the rule of the Hakkâri Beylik, particularly during the period of İzzeddin’s son İbrahim Bey. The construction date is inscribed on a marble plaque above the entrance in nesih script as 1112 Hijri (1700–1701 CE). İbrahim Bey governed the Hakkâri Beylik between 1692 and 1742, and it is widely believed among locals that he commissioned the medrese. The institution lost its religious education function in 1924 following the closure of medreses in Türkiye. During the Republican period, it was used as a prison until 1950. The General Directorate of Foundations restored it in 1984. In 2014, it was allocated to Hakkâri University, and further restoration and landscaping works were completed between 2017 and 2018. Today, it serves as the Private Hakkâri City Archive and Ethnography Museum.
Architectural Features
Meydan Medrese is an early 18th-century example of a two-story, two-winged medrese with a courtyard plan. The rectangular structure measures 18.25 by 23.40 meters externally. The entrance on the south façade features a pointed-arch grand door adorned with helical fluted molding and muqarnas borders. The marble inscription above the door is enriched with relief vases and floral motifs.
The courtyard is surrounded on all four sides by two-story arcades. The lower arcade columns are cylindrical with varied capitals and bases, while the upper arcade rests on pilasters. The arcade bays have pointed arches covered by vaults. Medrese cells are arranged around the courtyard; three on the north and south façades and two wings with four cells each on the east and west façades.
The building is constructed of finely cut stone with lime mortar as the binding material. Architecturally, Meydan Medrese continues the tradition of courtyard medreses that began in the Anatolian Seljuk period and extended into the Ottoman era. It shares plan and architectural similarities with medreses in Bitlis, Hoşap, and Van/Pizan.
Function and Usage
Meydan Medrese functioned as an educational institution teaching Islamic sciences, funded by foundation revenues that covered salaries of instructors and needs of students. Historical documents indicate that Molla Hüseyin Bateyî, a Kurdish Mawlid writer, taught here. After the closure of medreses in 1924, the building ceased its religious education role and was used as a prison until 1950. Subsequently, it underwent various restoration processes and was finally allocated to the university for cultural and touristic use.
Preservation and Current Status
Restored by the General Directorate of Foundations in 1984, Meydan Medrese was transferred to Hakkâri University in the 2010s. Landscaping and restoration projects have been carried out around the courtyard and vicinity, contributing to the development of cultural tourism. The building remains one of the rare regional architectural examples that largely preserve their originality and unique plan characteristics. Today, it functions as the Private Hakkâri City Archive and Ethnography Museum, continuing its historical and cultural legacy.
