Kalehisar Medrese (Behramşah Medrese)

Alaca MadrasaHistoric Buildings October 2010

The Kalehisar Medrese, also known popularly as the Behramşah Medrese, is a historic educational building located within the boundaries of Çorum’s Alaca district. It is regarded as one of the important architectural remains in Çorum and its surroundings that have survived from the Anatolian Seljuk period to the present day.

Location

The structure stands at the Kaletepe locality, 2-3 km south of Mahmudiye Village in Çorum’s Alaca district. Rather than being a standalone educational institution, the madrasa is thought to have been one of the sections belonging to a larger building complex, that is, a külliye (religious-social complex). This characteristic aligns with the Seljuk-period concept of the külliye, which brought together the functions of education, worship, and social service in one place.

History

The exact date of the madrasa’s construction is unknown. However, when its plan layout and architectural style are examined, the building is understood to belong to the 13th-century Anatolian Seljuk period. This century was a time when madrasa architecture became widespread in Anatolia and when institutions of learning and education were supported by the state. The Çorum region was likewise equipped with various religious and educational buildings during this process. Over the course of the centuries, the madrasa has been largely destroyed and has reached the present day in a ruined condition.

Architecture

The madrasa was built on a nearly square rectangular plan oriented north-south. After a long entrance iwan, one passes into an open courtyard; this plan reflects a typical example of open-courtyard Seljuk madrasas.

On either side of the entrance iwan there is a classroom, while on the entrance axis lies the madrasa’s main iwan, with a room beside it. On both sides of the courtyard there are madrasa cells arranged in groups of three rooms each. Remains of the porticoes (revaks) in front of these cells can still be seen today. No trace remains of the portal (crown gate) of the madrasa, which has come down to us in a ruined state; this also indicates the extent of the destruction and erosion the building has undergone over time.

Related places

Together with the Hüseyin Gazi Medrese, located in the same district and serving a similar educational function, it forms part of Alaca’s heritage of historic buildings. For those who wish to see the region’s far more distant past, the Alacahöyük archaeological site and the Alacahöyük Museum in Alaca are important stops. For the general history of the district, one may also look at the History of Alaca article.

ℹ️ This article has been enriched with additional historical context and editing over the original archive content.