Çini Eserleri Müzesi (Ceramics Museum)

Çini Eserleri Müzesi (Ceramics Museum) Review

The Büyük Karatay Medresesi—a seminary founded in 1251 by Celaleddin Karatay, a Seljuk emir—is now home to Konya's Ceramics Museum. It's easy to understand why this particular building was selected for that purpose: the seminary (which also houses the emir's tomb, in a small room to the left of the main hall) is beautifully decorated, its dome lined with blue and white tiles that create a dazzling effect. A frieze beneath the dome is in excellent condition as well, and the hunting scenes on the rare figurative tiles from the Kubadabad Palace in Beysehir show the influence of Persia on Seljuk art. Included in the spectacular collection are figurines of humans and animals, with vine leaves highlighting them with shades of cobalt blue and turquoise.