Domestic and foreign tourists who come to visit the historical city Mardin show great interest in the Kasimiye Madrassa, which has 700 years of history and is decorated with embroidery with excellent architectural structure. The most important thing that attracts the visitors' attention is the 548-year-old blood marks on the wall.

There are icons of astronomy and medical science on the walls of the madrasa, where thousands of scholars have been trained for 400 years without interruption by giving both religious sciences and technical sciences.

The construction of the Kasimiye Madrasa, which started in the time of Suleiman Sultan Isa of Artuqids, couldn’t be completed due to the Mongol attacks and during the Timurid period and the Akkoyunlus Sultan was completed in 1469 during the period of Kasım Ibn Cihangir.

One of the most important training centers of the region during the period when it was active, there is a medieval tomb, a fountain and 23 classrooms. On the two terraces, the two-storey madrasa was built as a complex with a mosque and a tomb.

According to the narrations; Sultan Kasım of the Akkoyunlus son of Cihangir was killed by his uncle in the madrasa. Kasım Pasha's sister, put Kasım Pasha’s blood on the wall of madrasa with mourning. The blood mark is still there despite 548 years have passed.

The water flowing in the pool in the courtyard of the medina hides a mystic representation, symbolized from the born to death as human life and afterlife. The birth of the water that emerges from the fountain, the youth of the place it is pouring out, the thin long trough is the old ages and the gathering of the water in a pool represent death. Then, this water is transferred to the soil with the channels, and this again comes to life in the earth.

The number of visitors is increasing every year

Those who come to the madrasa mostly are getting information from the officials about the blood marks. On a weekday from 1000 to 1,500 daily, on weekends from 2 thousand to 3 thousand people visit the historical madrasa.

Ahmet Irmak stated that he has come to the historical madrasa every time he visits Mardin, the historical city, and do not return back without visiting Kasimiye Madrasa.

Mehmet Bulut, indicating that he came from Kızıltepe, district of Mardin, has escaped from the city's hot spots to 50 degrees and said that he has come to madrasa. Indicating that the madarasa is very nice and cool, he said that he came to see blood marks in particular.

“The most beautiful place I have ever visited”

Gülistan Pur, indicating that one of the most beautiful places he has visited till today is the Kasımiye Madrasa, “I recommend people to come here and visit the madrasa and the mosque. It is a place that contains many beauty in terms of structure. I visited countless historical places from different cities in Turkiye, but I haven’t seen such a magnificent and impressive place like this. I invite everyone to see this beauty.”

Visitor Abdullah Bulut said, “I am one who traveled all over Turkiye, but Mardin is a very different city. I recommend everyone, come and see it.”

I came from Germany to see madrasa

Nizar Özmen, who told that he came from Germany to see the historical madrasa, said that the blood marks of 548 years were a great sign for humanity, he said: “I visit this place for the first time. I'm too late, but it's good that I came. A few of my friends had shown this blood mark before. I came to see on the spot. It's really as impressive as they say. It's an image of exemplary.”

We came from Çorum to see the Kasimiye Madrasa

Selma Yılmaz from Çorum, who came to Mardin with a group for sightseeing, said that she came to see especially the Kasimiye Madrasa in order to see the blood marks she heard from her friends and came to visit Mardin.

“There were 23 faculties in the madrasah”

Kasimiye Madrasah Manager Hazbi Bulut gave the following information about the madrasa: “Kasimiye Madrassa, which has 700 years of history and is decorated with embroidery with excellent architectural structure. Both religious sciences and philological sciences have been performed here. These two sciences have harmonized with each other. There are icons of astronomy and medical science on the walls of the madrasah. It was completed by Sultan Kasım, the son of Cihangir, the Akkoyunlu King.”

Blood marks

The Madrasa Director, who chatted with the tourists who came to madrasa, said to those who asked him about the blood marks on the wall:

"According to narrates in the Kasimiye Madrasa, Kasım Pasha, who had built the madrasa, killed by his uncle Hasan Pasha during he was taking an ablution in the madrasa. Kasım Pasha's sister, Esma Hatun, grabbed the blood and threw it on the walls with lamentations, saying, ‘O God, make this blood as a sign for Muslims as this madrasa stands. No one kills anyone,’ she prayed. Some say root paint, but no paint will stay at the wall for 650 years. These marks maintain their freshness when wet 10-20 times a day.” (M. Salih Keskin - ILKHA)