Importance

[Picture source: © 2007 Rami Alafandi]

The Sulṭānīya belonged to those madrasas of the Ayyubid period that were of considerable importance to the cityscape of pre-modern Aleppo. As a royal foundation, it was particularly prestigious in the economy of awqāf and as a place of learning. With its prominent location opposite the citadel, it was apt to catch the eye, though the structure’s modest height and sober architectural style made it easily overlooked -- particularly as more ostentatious structures were erected in the neighbourhood later. Partly ruined, its modern renovations so altered the Sulṭānīya’s original appearance that its historical, archaeological and artistic value was reduced to three significant elements: The portal, with its elaborate inscriptions, testified to a rich pious foundation, albeit executed in an austere style, while the mihrab was an excellent example of early-6^th/12^th-century craftsmanship. The mausoleum, finally, was the only surviving example of a royal burial in the city of Aleppo, signalling the rank of the deceased monarch with the inscriptions above its windows and asking passers-by to offer a raḥimahu Allāh over aẓ-Ẓāhir Ghāzī and his father.

Current Situation

According to google earth images, the Madrasa Sulṭānīya was largely destroyed in late November-early December 2014. While parts of the northern wing with the entrance portal and the minaret above still remained (although damaged), the rest of the structure had been reduced to rubble, in an approximately 30m-diameter crater.