Sırçalı Madrasa (Grave Monuments) Museum

The madrasa has been taken to repair and protection in 1954 and has been opened to visit as "Grave Monuments" section connected to Konya Museum in 1960. In 1969, it has been restored by the Ministry of Culture in compliance with its original.

The catacomb belonging to the Byzantine Period, which was under earth in the garden of the museum that has been re - taken into restoration between the years 1988 - 1990 and whose exhibition and arrangement have been remade, has been repaired and opened for visit. In Sırçalı Madrasa Grave Monuments Museum, grave stones belonging to Seljuk, Karamanoğlu and Ottoman periods that are valuable in terms of history and art history and that are collected from the cemeteries, most of which have disappeared by time, are being exhibited.

The upper floor of Grave Monuments Museum is still being used by "Directorate of Relieves and Monuments".

Sırçalı Madrasa, which is one of the most important madrasas of Konya and Anatolia is in Konya Province, Meram District, Gazialemşah Quarter.Sırçalı Madrasa, that is among the madrasas having an open courtyard, two liwans and two floors, has been had constructed by Bedreddin Muslih in the Period of Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev the 2nd. In the front parts of the building cut stone is used, while in other parts rubble stone is used. It has been used as madrasa until 1924 with various changes.

The front side of the madrasa lying in east - west direction is made of cut stone. The throne door making a projection forward is ornamented with geometric and Anatolian ornaments. In the part on the entrance door, there is an inscription. At two sides of this inscription, there are ornamental workmanship samples. Furthermore, as we see in classical Seljuk throne doors, there are two niches at both sides of the door. After the entrance, cradle vaulted liwan is located.

This, in some way, is in the form of a second liwan. Due to the composition of the second floor, the vault cover in the form of Bursa arch covered with glazed bricks and encaustic tiles is low. There is a tomb on the right and the madrasa room on the left. The tomb has a dome - like vault cover and one of its windows open to the front side, while another opens to the courtyard. Its walls and cover is made in herringbone pattern with glazed bricks. The madrasa room on the left is covered with cradle vault and a window opens to the front side. The strong madrasa room, which has survived until today, is this room.

The madrasa has a rectangular courtyard and a pool in the middle of the courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded with porches in three directions. From the remaining parts of the porches, it is understood that the legs, wall surfaces are covered with glazed bricks and encaustic tiles in various shapes. There are four student cells on each of the left and right sides of the courtyard. Total number of rooms is sixteen with the rooms in the upper floor. The doors and windows of the rooms open to the courtyard.

There is one domed room on each of the right side and left side of the main liwan. These are classical winter classrooms. The main liwan, which is the most ornamented and magnificent place of the building, is very strong today. But the hexagonal encaustic tiles on the liwan arch and the encaustic tiles on the upper part of the liwan have been shed or destroyed. The liwan is separated from the courtyard with a step. Its front side is ornamented with encaustic tiles and inscriptions in various shapes and appearances. These inscriptions are suras taken from Koran. In the middle of the hexagon in the arch, the inscription of the architect of the building is located. It is written that the madrasa has been constructed by "Tuslu Mehmet Usta". The inscription borders go around the liwan's front side. The mihrab, whose encaustic tiles have been shed, is located on the southern wall of the liwan. Sırçalı Madrasa encaustic tiles have an important place in terms of encaustic tile art.

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