Out of all proposed properties we visited only one – Yakutiye Madrasah in Erzurum. I did not read a description on UNESCO site so I did not realize there was another one in Eurzurum - Çifte Minareli Madrasah, very close to Yakutiye.

Yakutiye Madrasah is located in the very center of Erzurum, one of the biggest cities in the East of Turkey. The whole building has been preserved in original shape and it looks very nice - epecially its minaret with vivid blue ornaments. The entrance to the building is beautifully carved with ingenious iwan. There is a museum inside and normally the entrance is paid but we were there during a holiday, so no fee was required and there were many people inside. The museum shows a bit of everything – arms and armors, costumes, daily life ages ago and how the teaching in madrasah was conducted.

Madrasahs, originating from Iran but then spread along all Islamic world, do not have their own representation on World Heritage List. Of course many of them are inscribed under “historic center of…”. Maybe Turkey wants to fill out this gap. For us at least visiting the one in Erzurum was worthwhile so if you are nearby, consider a detour.