0 MADRASA OF AL-ASHRAF BARSBAY ( 829 A.H./1425 A.D. )

       Sultan King al-Ashraf Barsbay al-Duqmaqi al-Zahir who ordered the building of this madrasa was a mamluk of al-Zahir Barquq who released him and kept him in his service. He held several positions such as the  deputy of the Tripoli and prince of Dawadar Kabir until he came to Ipower ruling the Mamluks Sultanic throne on 8^th Rabi al-Akhir 825 A.H., 1^st April 1422 A.D.

The madrasa is located in al-Mu'izz street in a section known as Ashrafiya near al-Sagha (Goldsmith); the site was previously occupied by old shops and tenant houses, yards and markets that were demolished for building the madrasa.

                 The madrasa consists of a central open courtyard surrounded by four iwans the largest of which is the qibla iwan (Plate 1/175, Photo 1/175)

Which is a rectangular area overlooking the courtyard through a pointed arch behind which, from the inside, are two wooden consoles with stalactites and a soffit in between.

In the center of the iwan's forefront stands the mihrab whose formation is similar to Mamluk mihrabs with its hood arched with a pointed arch with a pointed arch with compound joggled voussoirs, preceded by an arched recess mounted on two marble octagonal columns (photo 2/175);

To the left is a minbar decorated with star plates and parts of lathed wood (photo 3/175).

On both sides of the mihrab are four recesses, two on each side with a window in the forefront crowned by a pointed arch with compound joggled voussoirs topped by an elongated grill of stucco lattice and in between is the round grill of the mihrab. The iwan is covered by a wooden ceiting of girders supported on a frieze with comer and central niches, extending to the bottom In a trefoil form .

The iwan opposite the qibla iwan consists of a rectangular area overlooking the courtyard through a pointed arch, and has a smalt pointed – arched recess in its forefront, while on both sides of the recess opens a door leading to a vaulted room and a wall cupboard; each of the two sides of the iwan contains a door topped by two windows each leading to a smalt vaulted room.

The iwan has a flat wooden ceiling with a joggled edged nave supported on a caliigraphic frieze with corner stalactites extending to the bottom in a trefoil form .

Each of the two side iwans are in the shape of a rectangular area overlooking the courtyard through a stilted pointed arch. In the forefront of each iwan is a trefoil arched recess ending grill.

Both iwans are roofed with a wooden ceiling of girders enclosing two triangles and two squares, supported on a frieze.