The Madrasa at Kalehisar

The archaeological site of Kalehisar represents the remains of one of the most important Anatolian Seljuk settlements in the middle Black Sea region. The settlement, which is known also as Karahisar-ı Demirlü, was according to historical sources mainly settled around the 13th to 14th century A.D. Kalehisar represents the black castle city style in the Anatolian Seljuk period, featuring facilities like a castle, a madrasa, a caravansary, a bath, kilns, and a mosque. The archaeological survey conducted in 2019 offered the chance to record and document the best-preserved building at Kalehisar known as Al Hüsâmîye Madrasa with a photogrammetric survey. The preliminary results of this building survey including a 3D model, plans, and sections are presented here for the first time. They allow first insights into the layout conception of the madrasa and the Anatolian Seljuk building technology. In addition to the building documentation, an initial state-of-conservation assessment was carried out that showed the structure is in urgent need of consolidation measures.