A 15th-century madrasa with a courtyard pool facing the plain

History

Begun under the Artuqids and completed in the 15th century during the reign of the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Kasım, the madrasa has a two-storey courtyard plan with a school, mosque, tomb and student cells.

Why go

The long pool in the courtyard is its most discussed feature: water rising from a source, gathering in the basin and flowing away is described as a symbol of the human journey from birth to death. Seen between the arcades, the Mesopotamian plain becomes a painting framed in stone.

Visiting notes

It sits just outside the centre on a slope above the plain, and entry is free. The courtyard is empty and cool in the morning; the afternoon light is better for photos. There is a small area beside it where you can sit with a glass of tea.