Western Turkey museum to host Seljuk-era madrasa

DENİZLİ - Anadolu Agency

The mayor of western province of Denizli has said the recently-discovered ruins of a Seljuk era madrasah will be opened to the public next year with the launch of a museum.

"This madrasah is the westernmost piece of the Seljuks found in Anatolia so far,” Mayor Osman Zolan said on Nov. 3 during his visit to the excavation site. 

“We will unveil this open-air Turkish history museum next year, hopefully preserving and restoring the buildings there and transferring them to future generations." 

The ruined walls of the ancient madrasah -- situated in the province’s 800-year-old Ilbadi Cemetary -- was found during the restoration of Mehmet Gazi Tomb, which belongs to Seljuk warrior Mehmet Gazi who died during Denizli's conquest. 

The excavations later unearthed a fountain, a courtyard and the grave of the person who had built the madrasah, Kadir Pektaş, a professor at Istanbul Medeniyet University’s Art History Department, said. 

"All of these ruins take us undoubtedly to [Seljuk] era,” Pektaş said during his visit to the site. 

The madrasah dates back to 1250s. Approximately 100 years later this area was used as a cemetery,” he added.