Historic structure now serves as museum

KAYSERİ

The Gevher Nesibe Darüşşifası and Gıyasiye Medrese in the central province of Kayseri, the story of which begins with love, welcomes visitors with its historic hospital and museum.

Named after Gevher Nesibe Sultan, the daughter of Seljuk ruler Kilij Arslan II and sister of Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I, the medrese offers a journey through time. Built upon the final wish of Gevher Nesibe, who succumbed to tuberculosis after being unable to reunite with the palace’s chief sipahi (Ottoman soldier) she loved, this historic hospital, where music therapy was once practiced, captivates visitors.

The medrese, which is currently a museum, exhibits medical instruments and pharmaceutical tools from the Seljuk period while providing insight into the medical treatments of the era.

Fehmi Gündüz, Director of Tourism for Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the medrese and hospital, built during the Seljuk period, are among the world's first medical centers.

Highlighting the uniqueness of the structure, Gündüz explained that it was built between 1205 and 1206 by Sultan Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I in honor of his sister Gevher Nesibe Sultan. He noted that the complex includes a medrese where medical education was provided, a hospital where students practiced under supervision, a section for treating mental illnesses, a bathhouse and a masjid.

Stating the medrese’s origin story, Gündüz said, “Gevher Nesibe Sultan fell in love with the palace’s chief sipahi. When her brother, Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev, learned of this, he sent the sipahi to war. The sipahi returned to Kayseri gravely wounded, and Gevher Nesibe was devastated by his condition. It is even said that he died in her arms. Overcome with grief, she fell ill and left a will for her brother, requesting the construction of a hospital to heal both wounds of the sword and wounds of the heart. And so, Keyhüsrev commissioned this structure. Until 1890, medical students were educated in the medrese, and right next to it, they treated patients under their professors’ guidance in the hospital.”

Gündüz noted that the museum attracts around 100,000 visitors annually, adding, “While the medrese focused on student education, the hospital provided practical training, contributing significantly to their careers. In the mental health section, while patients in medieval Europe were subjected to inhumane treatments, mentally ill patients in Kayseri were treated with music therapy as early as the 13th century. This is a Seljuk-era structure and the artifacts inside are also from the Seljuk period.”