Çifte Medrese, also called the Gevher Nesibe Medical Complex (Turkish: Gevher Nesibe Şifahanesi ve Tıp Medresesi), is a building from the 13th century in Kayseri, Turkey. It was a place for teaching and healing, and it is one of the earliest examples of medical schools in the Islamic world. It may have been the first in Anatolia to combine a hospital (şifahane) with a school for medicine (tıp medresesi).

Çifte Medrese is one of the Anatolian Seljuk madrasahs. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2014.

History

The complex was ordered by Kaykhusraw I of the Sultanate of Rum in 1204 and finished in 1206. It is said to have been built in honor of his sister, Gevher Nesibe, who is believed to have died from heartbreak. She is reported to have requested the creation of a medical school to help others avoid experiencing the same sorrow.

Architecture

The complex includes two buildings next to each other:

• The şifahane (hospital), built for treating patients, is on the west side.
• The madrasa (school of medicine), on the east side, was used to teach medical theory.

The buildings are made of cut stone and follow the traditional style of Seljuk architecture. They include a central open courtyard, large hallways called iwans, rooms with domed roofs, and decorative carvings on stone. This complex is one of the first examples in the medieval Islamic world of combining education and healthcare in one place.

Legacy

The Gevher Nesibe complex was an important part of the history of medicine in Anatolia and the Islamic world. It was an example for later medical complexes during the Seljuk and Ottoman times. Today, it is home to the Seljuk Civilization Museum (Selçuklu Uygarlığı Müzesi), which displays items and details about Seljuk culture and science.