Şehidiye Madrasa and Mosque

The Şehidiye Madrasa and Mosque is an Artuqid complex rising on Cumhuriyet Caddesi (First Street), the main artery of Mardin's old town, directly opposite the historic post-office (PTT) building.

History

It is generally accepted that the structure was commissioned in the early 13th century, around 1214, by the Artuqid ruler Malik Nasir al-Din Artuq Arslan; the endowment inscription on its carved portal names his son Malik al-Said, who is thought to have completed the building and established its foundation. Taking its name from Şehidiye, meaning 'of the martyrs,' the complex offers the rare scheme of a madrasa and a mosque interwoven around a single shared courtyard.

Architecture & Artefacts

Although centuries of repairs, additions and alterations have left little of the original fabric intact, the ornament carved into the honey-coloured local limestone and the monumental portal still convey the refinement of Mardin's stonemasonry. An arcaded courtyard, iwans and a two-nave prayer hall on the southern side follow the classic madrasa layout, while a fountain in the northern iwan lends coolness to the court. The most talked-about element, however, is the minaret: after the original collapsed, it was rebuilt in 1916-1917 by the celebrated Mardin-born Armenian architect Sarkis Elyas Lole in an eclectic style. With its fluted, almost helical shaft, vegetal bands and sunburst reliefs, this minaret is considered by many specialists to be the most ornate in Mardin and is one of the signature features of the old-town skyline.

Visiting & Access

The building remains an active mosque open to worship; admission is free and it can be visited during daylight hours, though tourist access may be restricted during prayer times. Agencies feature Şehidiye frequently because it sits as a natural stop along the old-town walking axis: standing at the head of the route that runs from Cumhuriyet Square toward the Great Mosque, the Church of the Forty Martyrs and the Coppersmiths' Bazaar, its minaret gives guides an ideal setting to explain the region's stonework and Mardin's multicultural heritage. It is a short but striking stop, with an average visit lasting 20-30 minutes.

The finest photographs are taken from the upper terraces of the Zinciriye (Sultan Isa) Madrasa, where the minaret is framed against the Mesopotamian plain, and from within the courtyard looking toward the portal. Spring and autumn, with their cooler air and soft light, are the best seasons to visit.