Four hundred metres west of the Grand Mosque, in the heart of Erzurum is the Yakutiye Madrasa, built in 1310 by Hodja Jelaleddin Yakut, the the Mongol ruler of Ulyaytu under the Mongol emirs. It is now one of the one of the rare structures that have survived from the Ilhamitic times to the present day and is used as the Museum of Islamic Culture.
The structure belongs to a type of madrasa with an enclosed courtyard and four terraces, between which are cells. The terrace located on the western side of the building is built, unlike the others, in two storeys, and the southern one has the same layout, as the mosque, so its walls have inscriptions-plates made of marble.
The middle courtyard is covered with a dome. At the end of the eastern terrace there is also a dome at the end of the eastern terrace. On the façade has a front door leading outwards, and on either side of it are placed minarets, which, together with the entire façade, are covered by a dome, which gives the structure a monumental and grandiose appearance.
The facade is adorned with paintings of abstract and vegetal subjects, showing the excellent taste of the creator. the taste of the creator. All the decorations on the walls, doors, windows and other places of the building show the level of development of art. All the decorations on the walls, doors, windows and other places of the building show the level of development of Seljuk art, and are an indication of its significance for generations of Turks of that era. On two sashes of the front door have drawings applied on door belts. At the bottom there are images of the tree of life, openwork balls, double-headed eagle, etc.
The equilibrium and integrity of the architecture of the madrasah are ensured by: the location of the Main Portal; the two minarets, at the corners; the mausoleum opposite the facade of the building. These are the most important proofs of the fact that in Seljuk times, architecture was based on the knowledge of engineering and was done by scientific methods.
Around the building, until recently, there were auxiliary structures, which had a military purpose, as the building was used as a military camp. These ancillary structures were demolished in the 1970s and 1980s, and the area regained its former appearance. The restoration of the building continued from 1984 to 1994, and on 29 October 1994, the Museum of the Turkish-Islamic Works Turkish-Islamic Works and Ethnography Museum opened its doors to the public. Works of ethnographic significance characterising the local population and indigenous peoples of the Erzurum province. The museum consists of several sections:
- The hall of women's dresses and jewellery. Here are exhibited a number of outfits and jewellery traditionally worn by the indigenous people of this area.
- Military Supplies. In this salon, all sorts of military weapons from the republican and weapons from the Republic and Ottoman periods.
- A hall with men's clothing and sets for men's recreation. In this exhibition items used by men during the time of the Ottomans and the Republic.
- Exhibition of metal works. Here, the vast majority are objects of kitchen importance, made of all kinds of metals.
- Hall of weaving craftsmanship. As today's scientific and technological progress more and more displaces the traditional folk weaving art, in order to interest people to continue this business, here are exhibited things created by the hands of of master weavers.
- An exhibition of palaces and handmade carpets, which is a exhibition of palaces and handmade carpets, which is an indication of the amazing skill of the carpet-making art of the local people.
- The hall of handicrafts. Here you can get acquainted with the products masters and craftswomen of embroidery and applique.
- Hall of accessories of sects and draughtsmen. It presents works of ethnographic importance, which were acquired by the museum and represent the life of the people over a sufficiently long period of time.
- An exhibition of ceramics from Seljuk times. There are candlesticks, candlesticks, plates, cups and many other ceramic objects belonging to the Seljuk era.
- Coin Hall. It displays a large collection of coins from the Ottoman and Republic times (paper money).
