"The Cifte Minareli medrese..." Top 5 Page for this destination Erzurum Things to Do Tip by maykal

The Cifte Minareli medrese (Twin Minaret school) is one of the more noticeable buildings in Erzurum. Originally a religious school, it has now been converted to a fairly upmarket cafe, yet the religious aspect is preserved by a small shrine at the far end of the courtyard. To enter, take your shoes off, and don't take photos...worshippers won't take too kindly to having a camera flashed in their face when they are praying. The courtyard is nice, but the minarets are stunning, especially when viewed close up. From a distance, the medrese could be mistaken for a factory of some sorts (or at least that is what my dad thought when he first saw the intro photo!), but when you stand below and look up, you'll see it is speckled with green tiles and Qur'anic inscriptions (see photo in the Cultural Tips section below).