Erzurum Çifte Minareli Medrese (Hatuniye Medresesi)

Erzurum Çifte Minareli Medrese is one of the most monumental examples of Anatolian Seljuk architectural tradition and is a historical educational structure located in the city center of Erzurum. With dimensions of approximately 35 by 48 meters, it is regarded as the largest open courtyard medrese in Anatolia. The building, also known in popular tradition and foundation records as Hatuniye Medrese, holds a unique place within Turk-Islamic art due to its monumental crowned portal, vegetal and figurative plastic decorations, and the two glazed minarets that give the structure its name.

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Medrese is situated in the Tebrizkapı neighborhood of the Yakutiye district of Erzurum. It was constructed adjacent to the eastern section of the walls surrounding the city’s inner citadel. The medrese forms an integrated structure with the citadel walls to its east and lies on the same axis as other significant historical buildings such as the Erzurum Ulu Camii and the Clock Tower.

As no foundation inscription survives on the building, the exact date of construction and its patron have been subjects of scholarly debate. The general consensus holds that the structure was built toward the end of the 13th century during the Ilkhanid period, around 1270.^【1】 Traditional views attribute the construction to Hundi Hatun, daughter of Seljuk Sultan I. Alaeddin Keykubad, or to Padişah Hatun of the Ilkhanid dynasty. However, analysis of the political context of the 1270s and Padişah Hatun’s biography suggests this theory is weak. Academic studies instead propose that the building was commissioned by Mu'îneddîn Süleyman Pervâne in the name of his stepdaughter Hundi Hatun, daughter of II. Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev and Gürcü Hatun. It has been noted that the foundation record’s reference to “Hundi Hatun, daughter of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad” is chronologically inconsistent and likely requires correction to read “daughter of Keyhüsrev, son of Keykubad.”^【2】

The incomplete state of the medrese’s decorative elements and the absence of an inscription indicate that construction was abruptly halted, likely due to the execution of Pervâne by the Mongols in 1277 and the ensuing political instability and climate of fear in the region.^【3】 Throughout its history, the building has served purposes beyond education. During the reign of Ottoman Sultan IV. Murad (1623–1640), it underwent extensive repairs and was converted into a “tophane” (artillery foundry), functioning as a military depot until the late 19th century. After 1846, it resumed its function as a medrese and during the Republican period, from 1942 to 1967, it served as the Erzurum Museum.

Çifte Minareli Medrese follows a four-iwan, two-story, open courtyard plan. Access to the courtyard is through a pointed barrel-vaulted vestibule from the entrance. The courtyard, measuring approximately 26 by 10 meters, is surrounded on all four sides by pointed-arch arcades. The arches and columns are arranged to visually reinforce the building’s two-story structure from the exterior. The ground floor contains nineteen rooms and the first floor eighteen, totaling forty-two rooms. Seven cells are located on the western wing and eight on the eastern wing, all covered by barrel vaults. The square space to the west (right) of the entrance is domed and was used as a mosque. The main iwan on the southern side differs from the rest of the building in terms of materials and construction techniques. The use of “sivişli taşı” (a type of stone) in this iwan supports the theory that it was either part of an earlier structure—likely from the Saltukid period—or that the medrese was built upon its ruins.^【4】

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The northern facade of the medrese exhibits a symmetrical arrangement. The crowned portal is the most densely decorated section of Anatolian Seljuk stone ornamentation, although parts of the decoration remain unfinished. The deep niche of the portal is framed by bands featuring palmette motifs and covered with muqarnas. On the western panel of the portal, symbolic motifs from Central Asian Turkic beliefs are carved: two snakes with open mouths below, a tree of life composed of segmented leaves in the center, and a two-headed eagle at the top. The symmetrical eastern panel contains none of these carvings; only its frame was prepared, leaving the interior empty.

The twin minarets, which rise on either side of the crowned portal and give the building its name, stand approximately 26 meters high from their base. Built on stone foundations with brick shafts, they feature a 16-faceted (fluted) form. The spaces between the flutes and the surfaces of the minaret shafts are adorned with turquoise glazed tiles. On the western minaret, turquoise tiles are arranged in a “baklava slice” (rhomboid) pattern, while on the eastern minaret, they are laid in a staggered “parallel lines” pattern using bricks. At the base of the minaret balconies, wide tile bands are present. These bands feature mosaic-style kufic inscriptions in eggplant purple and turquoise tiles, bearing the names “Allah,” “Muhammad,” and the four caliphs. The western minaret has two rows of muqarnas, while the eastern minaret has three. The edges of the courtyard windows are framed by raised inscription bands containing verse 256 of Surah Al-Baqarah and verses 18 and 19 of Surah Al-Imran.

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The Çifte Minareli Medrese has undergone various repairs throughout its history.

• Ottoman Period: Repaired under Sultan IV. Murad (1623–1640) while in a dilapidated state. During this period, the building was converted into a tophane.
• Republican Period: While serving as a museum and afterward, the building was preserved under the General Directorate of Foundations. The incomplete state of the medrese’s decorative elements is regarded as an intrinsic characteristic of its original design.

In addition to its original purpose as an educational institution, the medrese has served various functions throughout history.

• Artillery Foundry: Used as a tophane during the reign of IV. Murad.
• Museum: Functioned as the Erzurum Museum from 1942 to 1967.
• Exhibition Hall: Today, it serves simultaneously as a museum and an art exhibition hall, hosting cultural events.

The Erzurum Çifte Minareli Medrese is owned by the General Directorate of Foundations and is protected as a historical and cultural heritage site. It continues to function as one of Erzurum’s most visited tourist attractions.