Suleymanpaşa Madrasa

Suleymanpaşa Madrasa, located in the central area of Iznik District of Bursa, is built by Şehzade Süleyman. He was also the eldest son of Orhan Ghazi and was referred as the ‘Conqueror of Rumelia’ at the time. It cannot be determined with certainty when it was built, as it does not have an inscription on it. Despite this, it is estimated that the place was built between 1335 and 1350. The plan of the Suleymanpaşa Madrasa, which is accepted among the madrasas with open courtyards, is in the form of ‘U’.

The historical madrasa has a classroom with a total of 11 student cells. The facade walls are largely constructed of rubble stones and bricks. In some places, the materials are striking. In portico walls, the technique is applied. The columns in this area are granite. The repair process of the structure is completed in accordance with the original. Today, the Suleymaniye Madrasa is more concerned with historical handicrafts. At the same time, some workshops take place throughout the year in these areas. The venue is open between 08:00 in the morning and 17:00 in the evening. The historical madrasa, which offers characteristic traces of Seljuk architecture, is also considered to be the first Madrasa of the Ottoman period. Of course, this situation makes the Suleymaniye Madrasa much more privileged.

In the first period when the madrasa was opened, it was essentially the main aim to keep the art of tile art alive. This place has been known for many years as the ‘Ciniciler Bazaar’. It still stands out as a reasonable place to reach traditional Iznik tiles. Today, nine separate workshops are located within the inn. Evliya Çelebi does not neglect to include this place in his famous work. He emphasizes that the cells here are Greek-style. Today the northern part of the inn survives thanks to wooden supports. The Suleymanpaşa Madrasa is very affected by a large earthquake in 1992. Despite this, it will be reopened with the necessary repair work.