View of the minaret and entrance façade of the İnce Minareli Medrese.
The İnce Minareli Medrese ("The College of the Slender Minaret"), erected in Konya (the Selcuk capital) between 1260-1265. The İnce Minareli Medrese receives its name from its minaret which was once much longer than it is now. It lost most of its upper section in 1901 when it was struck by lightning, and has been restored since then. It originally had two balconies rising on a square masonry shaft, which was later converted to an octagon brick base. The shaft above the base has alternating segmental and angular sides, which are separated by reeds and decorated with diagonally-coursed glazed brick ends producing blue-lined geometrical lozenges. The İnce Minareli Medrese is without doubt one of the most impressive monuments of Selcuk architecture in Turkey, based on the architectural form that was crystallized as the standard for madrasahs. The Selcuks are widely considered to be the patrons of the institution of the madrasah, both as an architectural form and as a particular building designed for teaching activity. To get a better sense of the rich legacy of the Selcuk madrasah, viewers are encouraged to compare the following images of the İnce Minareli Medrese with those of other major Selcuk madrasahs photographed by Baly. These include the Cifte Minare Medresi (AP.001-07), Sifaiye Medresi (AP.008-10) and the Gök Medresi (AP.012-22) in Sivas, and also the Büyük Karatay Medresesi (AQ.001-13) in Konya. -MA
"Ince Minare Madrasa." Muslim Heritage. March 2005. https://muslimheritage.com/ince-minare-madrasa/
Photograph created August 1963. Photograph processed September 1963. Formerly catalogued as B42.014, N.043, AQ.014. Notes written on the slide or index: Konya, Ince Minare, Ince Minare.
