Gevher Nesibe is the daughter of II. Kılıçaslan, one of the Seljuk rulers. This Turkish girl, with black eyebrows, black eyes, black hair, and a fair face, captures the heart of a commander in the Seljuk army. However, Nesibe’s brother, Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev I, is against this love. He looks for ways to keep the commander away from Kayseri and sends him from one battle to another. Finally, in one of these bloody battles, the commander is martyred.
Gevher Nesibe Hatun
Upon learning this, Gevher Nesibe Hatun falls ill due to her grief and is bedridden. She finds out that doctors cannot find a cure for her sister’s ailment. Gıyaseddin, deeply saddened, visits her on her deathbed. There’s nothing more to say. He asks her what her last wish is.
Gevher Nesibe says, “There is no cure for my ailment; I am embarking on my final journey. Can you build a hospital in my name with my wealth?” Gıyaseddin, with deep sorrow, listens to these words and promises to fulfill her sister’s last wish. He begins to work tirelessly to make her sister’s wish come true. The construction of the hospital begins in 1204 and is completed in two years. Gıyaseddin also has his sister’s tomb built inside the hospital. After Gıyaseddin, Gevher Nesibe’s other brother, İzzeddin, builds a medical school to the east of the hospital. The construction of this school began in 1210 and was completed in four years. It’s quite a feat that this hospital and school were used until 1890 and provided relief to people. In fact, at this place, doctors worked on treating mentally ill patients with music or soothing their souls.
Gevher Nesibe Madrasa in Kayseri
I. Gıyaseddin Keyhüsrev worked tirelessly to fulfill his sister’s last wish. Construction of the hospital began in 1204 and was completed in two years. This also shows how much importance the Turks attached to women and families. In the meantime, Gevher Nesibe passed away and couldn’t see the completion of the hospital. Gevher Nesibe Sultan’s tomb was also built inside the hospital. Gıyaseddin, her brother, also built a medical school to the east of the hospital. This hospital and medical school play a crucial role in revealing the fact that the treatment of mental illnesses with music first began at the time of the Seljuks. In the Şifahane, mentally ill patients were hosted in bright cells, and water, bird sounds, and music were sent through special corridors for treatment. This shows how advanced the Seljuks were in the field of architecture and healthcare.
Gevher Nesibe’s hospital, known as Şifahane, did not have a fireplace or a stove. It was heated with the steam of the nearby hamam. This Şifahane had the world’s first central heating system. It aimed not only to heat the closed units but also to maintain the temperature of the eyvans. This hospital is considered the first medical center in the world, both in terms of its structure and medical education. Thanks to all these explanations, Gevher Nesibe Şifahane is of great importance for medical and professional education, the organization and general establishment of healthcare institutions, and its level of organization. Many important figures taught at this madrasa, and the most famous doctors of the time were trained here. Another interesting aspect of this hospital is how advanced our ancestors were in architecture. The silhouette of Gevher Nesibe Hatun appears when the sun hits the complex, matching the paintings of Gevher Nesibe Sultan.
Today, Gevher Nesibe Şifahane, located in the Mimar Sinan Park, has been allocated to the Erciyes University Institute of Medical History and turned into the Medical History Museum on March 14, 1982.
