Wikipedia

Ben Youssef Madrasa

TheBen Youssef Madrasa(Arabic:مدرسة ابن يوسف;also transliterated asBin YusuforIbn Yusuf Madrasa[1]) is anIslamicmadrasa(college) inMarrakesh,Morocco.The madrasa is named after the adjacentBen Youssef Mosque,and was commissioned in 1564–65 CE by theSaadiansultanAbdallah al-Ghalib.Functioning today as a historical site, the Ben Youssef Madrasa was the largest Islamic college in theMaghrebat its height, and is widely recognized as a pinnacle of Saadian andMoroccan architecture.[2][3][4][5]

Ben Youssef Madrasa
مدرسة ابن يوسف
The main courtyard of the madrasa and its reflective pool
Map
General information
Typemadrasa
Architectural styleSaadian,Moorish/Moroccan
LocationMarrakesh,Morocco
Coordinates31°37′55″N7°59′10.3″W/ 31.63194°N 7.986194°W/31.63194; -7.986194
Completed1564–65
Dimensions
Other dimensions40 m × 43 m (131 ft × 141 ft)
Technical details
Materialcedar wood, brick,stucco,tile
Floor count2
Website
https://www.medersabenyoussef.ma

History

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Courtyard of the madrasa in 1921

Themadrasais named after the adjacentBen Youssef Mosque,which was originally themain mosqueof the city, founded by theAlmoravidSultanAli ibn Yusuf(r. 1106–1142 CE).[1][2]

According to historical sources, in particularal-Ifrani,the first madrasa on this site was founded during theMarinid dynastyby SultanAbu al-Hasan(r. 1331–1348).[2][6]This dynasty, known for its perpetuation of the arts and literature, ruled fromFezduring the 13th to 15th centuries and was responsible for constructing many madrasas across Morocco.[7]Historically, madrasas in the Maghreb served to trainulama(Islamic scholars) inMalikiIslamic law,jurisprudence (fiqh), and variant readings (Qira'at) of theQur'an.[7][8]

TheSaadian dynasty,which enjoyed the status ofsharifs(descendants ofMuhammad), were less dependent on the construction of madrasas to sustain their legitimacy and the support of theulamathan their Marinid predecessors.[5]Nonetheless, they build many new monuments, including madrasas, in their capital of Marrakesh.[9]

The Ben Youssef Madrasa was constructed by the Saadian sultanAbdallah al-Ghalib(r. 1557–1574 CE), a major builder of his period. Its construction probably began soon after he assumed power. It was completed in 1564–1565 CE (972AH), as recorded by an inscription,[10][6]following a style established during the earlier Marinid period.[2][5]Once finished, it was the largest madrasa in theMaghreb.[2][5]It was reportedly able to accommodate upwards of 800 students.[11][verification needed]

Closed down in 1960, the building was refurbished and reopened to the public as a historical site in 1982.[12]The Ben Youssef Madrasa currently attracts thousands of tourists every year and remains one of the most important historical buildings in Marrakesh.[13]It closed for restoration again in November 2018 and reopened to the public in April 2022.[14][15][16]

Architecture

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Layout

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Floor plan of the madrasa (ground floor)

The madrasa's floor plan occupies a nearly square space measuring approximately 40 by 43 meters.[6]: 130 [1]The building is entered from a single street entrance, in front of which is a squarevaultsculpted withmuqarnas.From the doorway, a narrow corridor leads to a vestibule chamber that gives access on one side to the central courtyard.[13]This process of entry, like in many Islamic buildings, is carefully designed to inspire revelation and astonishment in an unexpected opening of space into the main courtyard.[13]The layout of the building centers around the main courtyard, which is surrounded by east and west galleries and student dormitories on the upper and lower levels.[13]Like many Islamic buildings, the courtyard is itself centered around a large shallow reflective pool, measuring approximately 3 by 7 meters.[13]At the southeastern end of the courtyard is another large chamber which served as a prayer hall, equipped with amihrab(niche symbolizing thedirection of prayer) featuring especially richstuccodecoration.[6]

As in classic Marinid madrasas constructed during the century, the layout of the Ben Youssef madrasa contains student dormitory cells clustered around the first and second levels of the central courtyard. The madrasa's vestibule chamber gives access to two secondary corridors that circulate around the courtyard to give access to the dormitories on the ground floor, while two stairways from the vestibule give access to similar corridors on the second level. The dorm rooms are additionally arranged around a series of six small courtyards (three in the northeast wing, three in the southwest wing) which open on both levels from these corridors.[13][6]Together, the madrasa consisted of 130 student rooms and housed up to 800 students; making it the largest madrasa in Morocco.[13][11]

On the ground floor, the eastern corridor from the vestibule also gives access to an ablutions chamber in the northeastern corner of the building. The chamber has a square floor plan with four marble columns upholding four arches below a central cupola ofmuqarnas(similar to the one in front of the madrasa's entrance). The middle of the chamber is occupied by a square water basin, while a series oflatrinerooms are accessible around the chamber's perimeter. Notably, it was also in this chamber that an 11th-century marble basin fromCordobawas first noted by Jean Gallotti (a historical arts inspector working for theFrench Protectorate) in 1921.[6]: 134 

  • Street entrance of the madrasa today
  • Entrance corridor of the madrasa
  • View of the main courtyard and its central water basin
  • One of the galleries along the side of the courtyard; the upper floor windows belong to the dormitory rooms
  • Mihrabof the prayer hall with carvedstuccodecoration, includingdarj wa ktafmotifs and anArabicinscription inkuficscript
  • One of the small courtyards serving the student dormitories
  • One of the upstairs student rooms
  • Theablutionschamber of the madrasa

Ornamentation

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The ornamentation of the Ben Youssef Madrasa derives closely from that of earlierMoroccan and Andalusi architecture,which makes use of pools, gardens, fountains, and surfaces covered inzellij(mosaictilework) and intricatelycarved stuccoand wood.[17]In particular, the decorative arrangement follows the architectural traditions established in earlier Marinid madrasas:zellijtiling is used along lower walls, calligraphic friezes are generally present at eye-level, and the middle and upper areas of the walls are covered in stucco decoration before transitioning into wooden elements, including ornately-carvedeaves.The arches of the ground-floor galleries in the courtyard also have stuccoconsolessupporting carved woodenlintelsthat bridge the distances between each pier.[6]The main central courtyard of the madrasa communicates a strong visual experience for visitors and students via these embellishing elements and their symmetrical arrangement. This courtyard is entered from the vestibule via a wooden screen (mashrabiyya) under a monumental archway which is itself decorated with carved stucco.[13]Although the student cells that surround the courtyard have little to no interior decorative elements, the small secondary courtyards that grant access to them do bear some stucco and wooden decoration.[13]The motifs carved into wood and stucco include traditional elements such asarabesques,sebka(ordark wa ktaf),calligraphic inscriptions,andmuqarnas,as well as more distinctly Saadian-era motifs such aspine cones.[6]

The street entrance of the madrasa is overlooked by an elaboratemuqarnas(stalactite or honeycomb-like sculpting) vault in front of the doorway, while anothermuqarnascupola is found in the ablutions chamber. The doors of the madrasa are plated withbronzeforming an interlacinggeometric patternand enhanced with shallow carved arabesque motifs.[6]The cedar wood lintel above the doors is carved with an Arabic inscription on an arabesque background. The inscription names and praises Sultan Abdallah as the builder of the madrasa.[6]Numerous other inscriptions are also found throughout the building on various surfaces, often consisting of Qur'anicverses.The largeKuficinscription around the arch of themihrab,for example, includes thebasmalaand thetasliyyafollowed by verse 36 and the beginning of verse 37 from theSurah an-Nur.[6]: 148 

  • Themuqarnascupola in front of the madrasa's street entrance
  • Detail of the bronze plating on the doors of the madrasa's entrance
  • Example of carved cedar wood ceiling withgeometric star patterns(over the madrasa's vestibule)
  • Entrance to the central courtyard adorned with cedar wood screen (mashrabiya) and carved stucco around the archway
  • Carved stucco and wood decoration of the courtyard, with a variety of motifs includingarabesques,calligraphy,pine cones, anddarj w ktaf
  • One of the niches on the walls of the courtyard with stucco carved intomuqarnas
  • Zellijmosaictileworkin the madrasa
  • One of the Saadian-era carved marble panels at the entrance to the prayer hall
  • Arabesque and pine cone motifs along withKuficinscriptions around themihrab
  • Themuqarnasdome inside themihrab;the sides are also covered in carved stucco with arabesque and pine cone motifs

Andalusi marble basin

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Carved marble basin crafted inCordobabetween 1002 and 1007 in the latecaliphal period(seen here at theDar Si Said Museumin 2014)

On display in the madrasa today is an elaborately carved marble basin from theCaliphate eraofCordoba(in present-day Spain). It was crafted atMadinat al-Zahrabetween 1002 and 1007 to serve asablutionsbasin and was dedicated to'Abd al-Malik,the son ofal-Mansur,and was one of a series. It was previously kept at the Ben Youssef Madrasa for centuries and was first noted by experts in 1923.[18][19]Scholar Mariam Rosser-Owen has suggested that the basin was originally imported to Marrakesh by Ali Ibn Yusuf, who incorporated a number of marblespoliafrom the ruined palaces of Cordoba in the Ben Youssef Mosque that he built in the 12th century. The basin would have then been re-used again for the Ben Youssef Madrasa, which was built in the same area much later, after the mosque had fallen into neglect.[20]In the 20th century, the basin was removed for study and was housed until recently at theDar Si Said Museum.[6]: 134 After the recent restoration of the madrasa and the reorganization of the Dar Si Said Museum, the basin has been moved again and is now on display in the prayer hall of the madrasa.

See also

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toBen Youssef Madrasa.
  1. ^abc"Discover Islamic Art - Virtual Museum - monument_ISL_ma_Mon01_15_en".islamicart.museumwnf.org.Retrieved2018-12-12.
  2. ^abcdeMarçais, Georges (1954).L'architecture musulmane d'Occident.Paris: Arts et métiers graphiques. p. 392.
  3. ^Blair, Sheila S. (2019).Islamic Inscriptions.Edinburgh University Press. p. 143.ISBN978-1-4744-6448-2.
  4. ^The Bulletin.J. Haynes and J.F. Archibald. 2007. p. 98.
  5. ^abcdBloom, Jonathan M. (2020).Architecture of the Islamic West: North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, 700-1800.Yale University Press. pp. 251–254.ISBN9780300218701.
  6. ^abcdefghijklSalmon, Xavier (2016).Marrakech: Splendeurs saadiennes: 1550-1650.Paris: LienArt. pp. 118–169.ISBN9782359061826.
  7. ^abMarçais, Georges (1954).L'architecture musulmane d'Occident(in French). Paris: Arts et métiers graphiques. pp. 284–294.
  8. ^Bloom, Jonathan M. (2020).Architecture of the Islamic West: North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, 700-1800.Yale University Press. p. 178.ISBN9780300218701.
  9. ^M. Bloom, Jonathan; S. Blair, Sheila, eds. (2009). "Sa'di".The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture.Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. pp. 159–160.ISBN9780195309911.
  10. ^Deverdun, Gaston (1959).Marrakech: Des origines à 1912(in French). Rabat: Éditions Techniques Nord-Africaines. pp. 373–377.
  11. ^abYeomans, Richard (2000).The Story of Islamic Architecture.New York: New York University Press. pp. 11–113.
  12. ^Razer, David (2015).Morocco Revealed: Fez, Marrakech, Meknes and Rabat. Approach Guides.pp. 1931–2000.ISBN978-1936614479.
  13. ^abcdefghi"Ben Youssef Madrasa".Archnet.Retrieved2018-12-11.
  14. ^"Morocco's Largest Madrasa".Atlas Obscura.Retrieved2022-06-22.
  15. ^"the emblematic Medersa of Ben Youssef, an architectural gem, H24info".Morocco News.2022-05-02.Retrieved2022-06-22.
  16. ^"The Madrasa Ben Youssef in Marrakech finally reopens its doors".Visit Marrakech.2022-04-22. Archived fromthe originalon 2022-12-15.Retrieved2022-06-22.
  17. ^Bloom, Jonathan (2009).The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture.Oxford University Press. pp. 164–165.
  18. ^Dodds, Jerrilynn D., ed. (1992). "255".Al-Andalus: The Art of Islamic Spain.New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.ISBN0870996371.
  19. ^El Khatib-Boujibar, Naima."Ablutions basin".Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers.RetrievedJune 5,2020.
  20. ^Rosser-Owen, Mariam (2014). "Andalusi Spolia in Medieval Morocco:" Architectural Politics, Political Architecture "".Medieval Encounters.20(2): 152–198.
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