The Kasımiye Medrese: A Jewel of Old Mardin
- Mehmet Özdemir
- Jun 6
- 4 min read
Introduction
The Kasımiye Medrese is one of the finest historic buildings of Mardin — a magnificent old religious college of pale stone standing on the slopes below the city, overlooking the vast Mesopotamian plain. Built in the late fifteenth century, it is among the most beautiful and best-preserved medreses in the whole region, famous for its graceful domes, its arcaded courtyard, and the channel of water that runs through it as a symbol of paradise. A masterpiece of the celebrated stone-carving of Mardin, the Kasımiye is a jewel of the city’s rich architectural heritage.
A college of stone and water gazing out over the plains, the Kasımiye is a masterpiece of old Mardin. This profile looks at the medrese, its design, and its meaning.
Key Takeaways
• The Kasımiye Medrese is a historic religious college in Mardin, in Bakur.
• It dates largely to the late 15th century, completed under Akkoyunlu rule.
• It is famous for its domes, arcaded courtyard, and water channel.
• It is a masterpiece of Mardin’s renowned stone-carving.
• It overlooks the Mesopotamian plain below the old city.
Quick Facts
Name: Kasımiye Medrese
Type: Historic religious college (medrese)
Country / Region: Turkey (Bakur)
City: Mardin
Completed: Late 15th century
Begun By: The Artuqid dynasty
Famous For: Domes, courtyard, and water channel
Material: Mardin’s pale carved stone
Contents
Where Is the Kasımiye?
The Kasımiye Medrese stands on the south-western slopes below the old city of Mardin, the famous terraced city of honey-coloured stone that rises on a hill above the plains of upper Mesopotamia, crowned by Mardin Castle. The wider region is rich in historic monuments of many faiths, including the great Syriac monastery of Deyrulzafaran nearby. The medrese’s position on the slope gives it commanding views over the vast plain stretching south toward Syria.
A College of Many Dynasties
The Kasımiye was a work of more than one age. It is said to have been begun under the Artuqids, the dynasty that ruled Mardin and left it so many fine buildings, and completed in the late fifteenth century under the Akkoyunlu — the “White Sheep” Turkmen rulers — by a prince named Kasım, from whom it takes its name. This blending of the work of successive dynasties is typical of Mardin, a city layered with the contributions of the many powers that held it, and the medrese stands as a crowning achievement of its long architectural tradition.
Domes, Courtyard, and Water
The beauty of the Kasımiye lies in its harmonious design. The complex is built on two levels around an arcaded courtyard, with a domed prayer hall, living and teaching rooms, and a tomb chamber, all richly worked in the fine pale limestone for which Mardin’s craftsmen were famous. Its most celebrated feature is the water that flows from a fountain in the great hall along a channel into a central pool — a design understood to represent the rivers of paradise and the passage of the soul. The play of carved stone, shadow, and flowing water gives the medrese a serene and contemplative beauty.
A Place of Learning
For centuries the Kasımiye served as a medrese, a college where students lived and studied not only religion but, by tradition, the sciences of the age — medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and more. The low doorways of its study rooms are said to have been built so that students would bow their heads in respect as they entered. It was among the richest and most important institutions of learning in Mardin, drawing students and scholars, and it remained in use as a place of education down into modern times.
The Kasımiye Today
Today the Kasımiye Medrese is one of the most visited and admired monuments of Mardin, a highlight for the many travellers drawn to the city’s extraordinary stone architecture and its sweeping views over the plain. Cared for as a treasured piece of heritage, it stands as a serene reminder of the city’s golden age of building and learning. Gazing out over Mesopotamia as it has for over five centuries, the Kasımiye endures as one of the loveliest jewels of the Kurdish region’s architectural heritage.
Timeline
Artuqid era — The medrese is said to have been begun under the Artuqids.
late 15th century — It is completed under the Akkoyunlu, named for Prince Kasım.
following centuries — It flourishes as a college of religion and the sciences.
early 20th century — It continues in use, later serving other purposes for a time.
today — The Kasımiye is a celebrated monument of old Mardin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kasımiye Medrese?
It is a historic religious college in Mardin, completed in the late 15th century, famous for its domes, arcaded courtyard, and water channel, and a masterpiece of the city’s stone-carving.
Where is the Kasımiye?
It stands on the slopes below the old city of Mardin in south-eastern Turkey, overlooking the Mesopotamian plain.
Why is the water channel famous?
Water flows from a fountain in the great hall along a channel into a central pool, a design understood to symbolise the rivers of paradise and the journey of the soul.
What was taught at the Kasımiye?
As a medrese it taught religion and, by tradition, the sciences of the age such as medicine, astronomy, and mathematics, and was among Mardin’s most important places of learning.
Related People, Places, and Topics
The Artuqids · the Akkoyunlu · Mardin stone-carving · Mardin · Mardin Castle · Deyrulzafaran Monastery.
References and Further Reading
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