You say Medrasa and I say Ma-dress-a

Or madrasah, madarasaa, medresa, madrassa, madraza, madarsa, medrese - No matter how you spell it, you can't avoid them in Turkey.   Nor should you.

Medrasas are techically an educational institution, and were attached to mosques to further the mosque's role as the centre of the village/town/city.  A mosque's complex could also include a hospital, soup kitchens for the poor, or a tomb of someone important, which was a separate building, octanal in shape. These indicate how dominant mosques were to social fabric of Turkish, particularly during the Ottoman empire.

Although the word's source is ambiguous as to secular or religious learning, Medresa's are generally used to reference Islamic study. The first madrasa I found reference to had the Prophet Muhammad himself as teacher with his followers as students.  Many remain to this day, and for the same purpose, educating over a million students a year - male, female, young and old alike. 

We saw a few of these in action, and were lucky enough to sit and sketch a bit on occasion.



corner detail at R.P. Medresa



Rustem Pasha Medrasa in Istanbul
deisigned by the great architect Sinan



Medrasa in Amasya - what a wonderful view students have
in the middle of a city!

We found some Madrasas used for purposes other than education, such as museums, restaurants and craft shops.



one of the best coffee experiences in Sivss



restored medrasa now a fancy restuarant



EJ's epiphany medrasa in Bursa

medrasa between Konya and Bursa