The Milas Stone Artifacts Museum is a museum located in the Beçin Castle in the Milas district of Muğla Province, Türkiye, and is housed in the Ahmet Gazi Madrasa building. The museum contains stone artefacts from the Beylik and Ottoman periods, as well as ethnographic artefacts documenting the education and burial traditions practised at the medrese, and miniature examples of Anatolian medreses.

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History

Ahmet Gazi Madrasa was built in 1375 by Sultan Ahmed Gazi of the Sahiller during the Menteşeoğulları Beylik period. The madrasa is a single-storey building with an open courtyard and two iwans. Over time, additions were made to various parts of the building, and additional structures such as a tomb and a fountain were added. After restoration, the madrasa was converted into the Milas Stone Artifacts Museum. The museum was opened as part of the Presidency's ‘Second 100-Day Action Plan.’

Architectural Features

The madrasa consists of nine rooms and two corridors arranged around a courtyard. The monumental entrance gate on the south facade is built in the Gothic architectural style and connects to the main iwan. In the courtyard, there is the tomb of Ahmet Gazi, whose dome is covered with tiles. Inside the tomb, there is another tomb whose owner has not been identified, next to the tomb of Ahmet Gazi.

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The façade of the madrasa and the walls facing the courtyard are covered with cut limestone. The rooms are covered with cradle vaults, and each room has a fireplace and cupboards. The lion reliefs holding flags at the two corners of the main iwan bear the symbols of the Menteşe Beylik.

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Exhibited Works

A total of 35 stone works are exhibited in the museum. These works belong to the Beylik and Ottoman periods and are arranged chronologically. In addition, 25 ethnographic works related to education and burial traditions in madrasas, miniatures of Anatolian madrasa examples, a reenactment room, and a cinema room are also available to visitors. Within the main iwan, there are tombstones belonging to Ahmet Gazi and others whose identities are unknown.

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Current Status

The Milas Stone Artifacts Museum is located within the Beçin Castle Archaeological Site and can be visited as part of the entrance fee to the site. The museum conveys the stone artefacts and madrasa education culture of the Beylik and Ottoman periods to the present day with its historical structure and collections. The building's Gothic-influenced crown gate, lion reliefs holding flags, and cut stone façade arrangement are among the architectural features of Beçin.