Hunat Hatun Complex

Overview

The Hunat Hatun Complex is a group of Seljuk buildings of 1238 in the center of Kayseri. It brings together a mosque, a madrasa, a bath and a tomb. Its founder, Mahperi Hunat Hatun, was the wife of Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I and the mother of Sultan Keyhusrev II. Since all four buildings are of finely cut stone, they still look of a piece, and the mosque still serves the city today.

Where the Hunat Hatun Complex stands

Today, the complex stands on Cumhuriyet Square, the main square of Kayseri. A short walk away stand the twin madrasas of Gevher Nesibe, so you can see both on foot. Above the city rises Mount Erciyes.

Quick facts

• Good for: Seljuk stone carving, a royal tomb, a crafts courtyard
• Best combined with: Gevher Nesibe, Sultan Han

History of the Hunat Hatun Complex

A royal foundation of 1238

In 1238, Mahperi Hunat Hatun built the complex around her mosque. Yet the bath on the site came first. When the mosque went up, builders cut away one corner of the bath to make room for it. For the wider story of the dynasty, read our guide to the Anatolian Seljuks.

Inside the Hunat Hatun Complex

The mosque

First, you enter the mosque through a tall stone portal. Its frame is carved with geometric shapes and plant motifs. Inside, in front of the mihrab (the niche that shows the direction of prayer), the original Seljuk dome still stands. Further back, a high dome rises over the middle of the prayer hall, but builders added it much later, in the 19th century. Since this is a working mosque, dress modestly and plan your visit outside prayer times.

The tomb of Mahperi Hunat Hatun

Between the mosque and the madrasa stands the founder's own tomb. It rests on a marble base, while a pointed stone roof tops it. Around its faces run carved geometric borders, while a band of inscription wraps the whole building under the roof. To reach its chamber, you take the stairs from the madrasa.

The madrasa

Next to the mosque, the madrasa opens through a high-arched gate. Beyond it lies a courtyard with arcades, and at the far end a large iwan, or vaulted hall, faces the entrance. Along the sides, small rooms once housed the students. Later, the building served as a museum for many years. The Metropolitan Municipality of Kayseri restored it. Today, artists work in its rooms and teach traditional crafts, such as calligraphy, paper marbling, tile painting and making the ney, the reed flute.

The double bath

The bath has two parts side by side, one for men and one for women. Because the bath was there first, the mosque had to fit around it. Inside, glazed tiles once decorated the women’s section.

Visiting the Hunat Hatun Complex

How to visit the Hunat Hatun Complex

Because the complex stands on the main square, you simply walk in from the city center. Once inside the madrasa, you can watch the artists at work in their rooms. We add the Hunat Hatun Complex to your Kayseri walk.

Before you go

On our Kayseri day, you start at the twin madrasas of Gevher Nesibe. Then you walk to the Hunat Hatun complex. You sit down for lunch, and in the afternoon you drive to Sultan Han, a caravanserai of Alaeddin Keykubad I. For more of the region, see our Central Anatolia guide.

Updated: October 26, 2026.

Seeing the Hunat Hatun Complex with Us

Would you like to see the stone carving of a Seljuk royal foundation? Our Kayseri day trip brings you from Cappadocia to the Hunat Hatun Complex and Gevher Nesibe. Write to us with your day in Cappadocia, and we will drive you to the carvings of Hunat Hatun.