OLD İSTANBUL

Gazanfer Agha Madrasa; It was built in 1590 by Gazanfer Ağa, the landlord of Darüs'saade, on the building block, which leans on the Bozdoğan arch on the Istanbul Suriçi Saraçhane Atatürk Boulevard and is surrounded by Kovacılar Street. This is a small complex. It consists of a madrasa, a fountain, a tomb, and a burial ground. Its charter was established in 1596 and Gazanfer Ağa served as Darüssaade agha for 30 years and as a Privy Chambermaster for 20 years during the reigns of Sultan Murat III and Sultan Mehmet II. When Gazanfer Agha died in 1603, a tomb was built in the Kulliye Garden. The architect of the madrasah is Davut Ağa. Davut Ağa was one of Mimar Sinan's journeymen and later became the chief architect. Davut Ağa built buildings such as the new Mosque, Cerrah Pasha Mosque, Koca Sinan Pasha Kulliye and Sepetçiler Kasrı.

The outer courtyard is reached when you enter the madrasah via Kovacılar Street. On the right side of the entrance, there is the tomb of Gazanfer Ağa and the graveyard of the Külliye. To the left of this courtyard is a public fountain. From here, it is passed to the madrasah courtyard. The courtyard of the madrasa has a square plan and is surrounded by porticoes. The madrasa consists of 14 madrasah cells in a U-plan. Right across the entrance to the courtyard, there is a classroom and a masjid. This structure has a dome and is attached to the Bozdoğan Arch. There is also a hexagonal fountain in the inner courtyard. According to its charter, 16 students were enrolled in the madrasah in 1792 and 23 students in 1869. The inspection report in 1914 recorded 30 people. Gazanfer Ağa Madrasa was used as the City Museum for many years, and in 1989 it was organized as the Istanbul Cartoon Museum. After the repair, it was allocated to the Mahmut Hüdayi Foundation.

Citation: Turan Akıncı