Buruciye Medresesi

Sivas, Türkiye

Buruciye Medresesi, named after its founder Muzaffar of Burujird (Muzaffar Burujirdi) is located in the center of the medieval city of Sivas, in the area that was most likely the town's walled lower citadel. An inscription plaque above the entry portal states that the madrasa was founded in 1271-1272/670 AH. 

The madrasa's plan is rectangular and based on a central courtyard. One enters through a monumental portal that projects from the west facade. Surmounting this portal is a muqarnas hood, and framing the hood is a facade covered with geometric ornament in the form of star and polygon patterns. Two niches flank the small hooded space before the doors.

Walking through the portal, one comes to an iwan that opens onto the central courtyard, also rectangular in shape. Four iwans open onto the courtyard, one per side. The aforementioned west iwan serving as the entrance vestibule is flanked on either side by domed chambers accessed through doors onto the western side of the courtyard. One of these serves as the tomb chamber of the madrasa's founder. Directly opposite on the courtyard's east side, the largest of the four iwans opens. Flanking it on either side are also two domed chambers. On the north and south sides of the courtyard, shallow porticoes give onto smaller iwans at the center of these facades. Flanking these iwans are two cells on each side. The columns and capitals of the courtyard's porticoes are spolia from Byzantine monuments. 

Both the facades of the east and west iwans are richly ornamented. The east iwan's facade is decorated with a vegetal motif set into a geometric grid. Framing this is an inscription. Roundels adorn the west iwan and the facades of the arcades running along the north and south side of the court. The domed tomb chamber adjoining the west iwan is notable for its cornice composed of tilework muqawrnas, under which a tilework inscription band runs.

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