Karatay Madrasa

Karatay Madrasa (religious school) was built in Konya in 1251 by the city’s emir, Celalettin Karatay, who served the Seljuk Sultan.

The madrasa opened as a museum in 1955 and displays beautiful Seljuk tiles and pottery, stonework and ceramic art from the period.

The dazzling turquoise and black tiles decorating its massive dome is breathtaking. Other notable collection highlights include the reconstruction of the cruciform tile frieze of Kubadabad Palace on the southwestern shores of Lake Beyşehir in Central Anatolia, tiles from the Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu mosque in Konya Province and ceramic decoration from the dome of the tomb of the Vizier of Karatay.

Celaleddin Karatay also built a caravanserai on the outskirts of Konya, the Karatay Han, located 50 kilometres east of Kayseri province on the Pinarbasi-Malatya Highway. It is among the most beautiful Seljuk Turkish caravanserais and a major stopping-point along the ancient Silk Road.