Hadım İbrahim Paşa Madrasa

Audio Narration:

Construction Year:

1560 (Estimated)

Location:

Fatih, İstanbul

Ordered By:

Hadım İbrahim Pasha

Architect:

Mimar Sinan

Changes After Construction:
  • The earthquake of 1648 caused damage to the minaret and the courtyard walls; the chimneys of the eight cells of the madrasa collapsed.
  • Sabîh Ali Efendi had a minbar installed in the masjid; with this intervention, the structure acquired the function of a mosque.
  • The 1894 earthquake caused severe damage to the structure; two walls collapsed completely, and the part of the minaret above the balcony fell down.
  • In the records dated 1914 and 1918, the structure was assessed as being in a ruined condition and was removed from the official roster by the administration.
  • In the period 1930–1960, the masjid remained in ruins; the madrasa section remained neglected and saw uses for sheltering purposes.
  • In the recent period, its surroundings were cleared through expropriation; the structure was arranged within a university property, and the boundaries of the site were incorporated into institutional use.
Prominent Features:
  • The madrasa is the educational structure of a small complex formed by the conversion of a small Byzantine-period church (chapel) into a masjid.
  • Mimar Sinan incorporated the structure into the integrity of the complex by building the madrasa around the masjid.
  • The madrasa was positioned on one side of the courtyard and outside the masjid in a way that would fit the street fabric.
  • In the plan, there is an arrangement of a large domed classroom at the center and cells with domed porticoes in front of them; in the survey, an arrangement of 11 cells, one of them small, and one classroom is given.
  • Marble columns with baklava capitals were used in the porticoes; the arch of the classroom door was made in an interlocking pattern with two-coloured stones.
  • In the interior, a stamped ornamental band on plaster was found; a part of this band is today in a museum collection.