A typological evaluation of Ottoman madrasahs around Lake Van

This study, entitled "Typological Features of Ottoman Madrasas in the Lake Van Basin," aims to provide a holistic analysis of the architectural, historical, and geographical attributes of the madrasas located in four provinces (Bitlis, Van, Hakkâri, Muş) around Lake Van. In the first phase, each madrasa's plan scheme, courtyard–classroom–cell layout, building materials, and decorative vocabulary were examined in detail. In the second phase, these typological findings were positioned within a chronological framework spanning early defensive configurations, the classical Ottoman courtyard typology, and late-period tendencies toward simplification. In the third phase, geographical analysis methods (latitude–longitude, elevation, distance to the lakeshore) were employed to investigate each madrasa's settlement strategy; construction materials and techniques (volcanic basalt–limestone masonry, pendentive-supported domes and barrel vaults, wooden beam–timber flooring, lime-mortar and zıvana plaster) and the architectural manifestations of sociocultural functions were then described in depth. The findings reveal that the madrasas in the Van Lake basin display typological diversity in close interaction with geographical, climatic, and social conditions. These structures exhibit a multilayered architectural evolution, ranging from early defensive designs to complexes that combine classical Ottoman aesthetics with functionality, and finally to processes of simplification that prioritize the balance between cost and function.