Kasimiye MadrasaPlaces to Visit in Mardin

The Kasimiye Madrasah is an impressive edifice that has endured through the centuries. It was founded during the Artuklu Era and brought to completion under the rule of the Akkoyunlu leader Cihangiroğlu Kasım (1457-1502). This madrasah features a two-story design with a dome and a single courtyard, constructed from finely dressed stone. The initial funding for its construction came from İsa Bey of the Artuqid dynasty, but the project was finalized by Kasım, a son of the Akkoyunlu Sultan Mu'izz-al-Din, following the city's conquest by the Akkoyunlu Turks.

The Kasimiye Madrasah is celebrated for its striking architectural design, including its layout plan, stone masonry, and intricate decorative patterns. Alongside the mosque and a deserted mausoleum, the complex includes an open courtyard featuring a fountain and a sizable pool. The building consists of two floors with two wings surrounding the courtyard, with classrooms on each side separated by small rooms used as cells for young students attending lessons according to their age groups.

The primary entrance is located on the southern facade, accessed via a barrel-vaulted passageway connected to a grand portal. On the west side, there is a separate small mosque sharing the same entrance as the main structure. The east wing extends over two floors and is composed of cells arranged between porticos on both levels around the large courtyard, which is reachable through a central plaza. The northern courtyard features a spacious Iwan that divides the second floor, with a small pool situated before it. The Kasimiye Madrasah was originally planned as part of a larger complex, similar to the nearby lodge-tombs.

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