Marvelous Mimar Sinan’s masterpiece awaits. The Rüstem Pasha Medrese stands before you a testament to Ottoman architectural brilliance. Commissioned by the Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha himself this medrese was completed in 1551. Mimar Sinan the renowned architect designed this structure.
The Rüstem Pasha Medrese wasn’t just any school. It was a madrasa a place of religious education. Students learned Islamic studies within its walls. This continued until 1869. Afterward it served other purposes. It sheltered victims of a devastating fire in 1918. Later it became an orphanage. From 1966 university students used it as a dormitory. Today it houses the Bediüzzaman Museum.
This isn’t your average rectangular building. The Rüstem Pasha Medrese boasts a unique octagonal courtyard. This design is quite special. Mimar Sinan used a similar octagonal design in Amasya. However this Istanbul medrese stands out. Its outer walls form a quasi-square shape measuring 42 meters by 43 meters. The building is constructed from ashlar and bricks.
Imagine stepping through the arch gate. You enter the central courtyard. In the center sits a shadirvan an ablution fountain with a pyramid-shaped roof. Twenty-four marble columns surround the courtyard. Sixteen are round. Eight polygonal ones stand at the octagonal colonnade’s corners. Twenty-four domes cover the colonnaded gallery. Beyond the gallery lie twenty-two student rooms and classrooms. The student rooms were small like cells. Classrooms were larger chambers.
Restoration work breathed new life into the Rüstem Pasha Medrese. Atmospheric effects fires and sewage problems had damaged its facades. The restoration project lasted from 2006 to 2011. Now the Rüstem Pasha Medrese stands restored showcasing its beauty and historical significance.
The Bediüzzaman Museum resides inside the medrese. It opened in October 2012. This museum celebrates the life and work of Said Nursi a prominent Kurdish Sunni Muslim theologian. The museum occupies two chambers including a former student room. The Rüstem Pasha Medrese’s history is truly rich and layered a story woven into the very stones of this magnificent building.