Karatay Medresesi

Constructed in the 13th century by the Seljuk sultan Allauddin Qayqubad as an Islamic school, Karatay Medresesi functioned as a madrasa until 1955. Today, a small museum and cultural center, it houses a collection of ceramics and tiles used in the Seljuk and the Ottoman eras. It is centrally located near many other sites, such as Alaaddin Hill.

The madrasa's central courtyard, covered by a large dome to protect against Konya's harsh winters, features a pool with water supplied through terra cotta pipes, visible beneath a glass floor installed during recent renovations. The western barrel vault and the dome are adorned with beautiful blue tiles, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of the Seljuk era. It is a historic building with a central courtyard encircled by a series of classrooms and adorned with intricate plasterwork and frescoes, which makes it another fundamental example of Seljuk architecture. The building was named after the ceramics master, Mevlana Celaleddin-i Karatay, who was one of Karatay’s students.