Şifaiye Medrese, 13th-century Islamic educational complex in Sivas, Turkey.
Şifaiye Medrese is a 13th-century building that combined spaces for medical teaching and patient care under one roof. Its walls and entrance portals display carved stonework and geometric patterns that define the architectural style of the era.
A Seljuk ruler founded this facility in 1217 to advance medical education in medieval Anatolia. It reflected the ambition to create a center where medical practice and learning could flourish together.
The medrese served as a meeting point for medical knowledge from different regions and traditions. Visitors today can sense how scholars and students moved through these spaces to learn and exchange ideas.
Access to the building is through the main portal on the eastern side. Plan to spend about an hour exploring the different rooms and courtyards to understand how it functioned as both school and hospital.
An ornate burial chamber lies hidden within the building, decorated with intricate calligraphy and honoring a Seljuk ruler. This solemn space offers an unexpected contrast to the medical and educational areas nearby.
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