East of the city centre, this building dates from the 1200s when Erzurum was a wealthy Seljuk city, before suffering attack and devastation by the Mongols in 1242. The twin brick minarets are decorated with eye-catching small blue tiles. Walk to the back of the building to see the grand, 12-sided domed hall at the far end of the main courtyard from the entrance. It served as the Hatuniye Türbesi, or Tomb of Huand Hatun, the medrese's founder.
Its facade exemplifies how the Seljuks liked to try out variation even while aiming for symmetry: the panels on either side of the entrance are identical in size and position but different in motif. The building is under restoration until 2015.
