Madrasa of Abu al-Hasan

De **Madrasa of Abu al-Hasan**, dem sanso refer to am as de **Marinid Madrasa (of Salé)**, be medieval madrasa wey locate within de old city of Salé, Morocco. Na dem build am insyd de 14th century by de Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan next to de Grand Mosque of Salé wey na ebe notable for ein rich decoration.

## History

According to an inscription for de wooden canopy of de entrance portal, na construction of de madrasa begin insyd 1332–1333 for de orders of de Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan (r. 1331–1348), wey na he sanso be responsible for founding multiple oda madrasas den religious complexes insyd ein reign. Na dem fini construction insyd 1341–1342, as dem record by a foundation inscription dem carve for a marble plaque insyd de northwestern gallery of de courtyard. Na dem build de madrasa make e help further develop de nearby Great Mosque of Salé as de focus of religious den intellectual life insyd de city.

## Architecture

Dem dey enter de madrasa thru an ornate stone portal plus a horseshoe arch doorway. Dis entrance dey lead to a small vestibule, from wich a staircase for de syd dey lead to de upper floors. Beyond de vestibule, one dey enter sydways into de corner of de central courtyard, wich dey measure about 8 by 5 meters. Dem pave de courtyard plus *zellij* tilework, dey feature a small central fountain, wey ebe ringe by a gallery dem decorate plus carved stucco den carved wood, dem support by round masonry columns. De spaces between de gallery columns den de outer wall of de courtyard be covered by painted wood ceilings dem carve into geometric star patterns. Na dem restore one section of dese ceilings to ein approximate original colours. De whole building, like de nearby Grand Mosque, dem align anaa orient plus de *[[qibla]]* (direction of prayer) of de time (i.e. roughly southeast). Accordingly, at de far end of de courtyard be a large rectangular prayer room whose mihrab dem surround by intricate stucco-carved surfaces den windows. Dem divide de room into three spaces by arches for either side of de mihrab wey dem cover am by more timber ceilings. De upper floor be occupied by de student cells den living quarters. Unlike oda madrasas of dis type, de students dema rooms for de upper two floors no get windows wey dey look into de courtyard.

Possibly even more dan oda Marinid madrasas, dis building dey show similarities plus Nasrid art den architecture such as de palaces of de Alhambra), wey dey attest to de shared artistic vocabulary between de two regions. De decoration dey consist of *zellij* tilework wey dey cover de floor den de lower walls, wey dey transition into intricately dem carve stucco decoration above, wey dem top by carved cedar wood surfaces den a wooden canopy above. Both de wood den de stucco dem carve plus calligraphic decoration den plus a variable repertoire of geometric, arabesque, den floral/vegetal patterns. A rectangular marble panel dem carve plus a foundation inscription of na de building be originally set into de northwestern wall of de courtyard (opposite de mihrab den de prayer room).

## Gallery

File:Salé Madrasa DSCF6823.jpg|De entrance portal of de madrasa
File:Salé Madrasa DSCF6663.jpg|De courtyard of de madrasa, wey dey look northwest
File:Merinide Medrassa.jpg|De courtyard den fountain of de madrasa, wey dey look southeast towards de *mihrab*
File:Détails arabesques salé.jpg|Stucco den wood carvings for one of de lateral galleries of de courtyard
File:Déco plafond médersa de salé.jpg|A restored painted wooden ceiling under one of de courtyard galleries
File:Inside Meridine Medrassa of Salé.jpg|De *mihrab* of de prayer room
File:Cellules des étudiants à la médersa de salé.jpg|De student cells for de upper floor


## References


## External links

* Images of Abu al-Hasan Madrasa in Manar al-Athar digital photo archive resource