Gate of Medrese (Madrasah), Athens

Today is the day Brad gets to visit the Acropolis and he is so excited about it. Seeing it lit up on the hill when we were out last night was a bit surreal. There are so many ancient ruins throughout Athens that are just a part of every day life here. So much history and so many interesting things to see. On our way to the Acropolis I saw this beautiful door and decided to photograph it. It stood out, probably because of its colour or its position, and it wasn’t until we were back at our room that I discovered the importance of that door.

It is called the Gate of Medrese and is a visible reminder of dark times. The doorway is all that remains of the Ottoman era Islamic Madrasa (Theological School) of Athens. In the center of the courtyard was a large plane tree that became a gathering place for leaders of the Muslim community. Over time, this tree became the symbol of the Madrasa.

The school was built in 1721 and was later converted to a prison. During its years as a prison, the living quarters became overcrowded, inhumane prison cells, and the plane tree became a hangman’s tree for hundreds of executions. Those not executed were subjected to torture and slavery.

The Madrasa was nearly destroyed during the early part of the Greek War of Independence. After the liberation of Athens, the Madrasa was rebuilt and used as barracks by the Greek Army for the remainder of the war. After the Greeks’ victory, it was converted yet again, this time into a prison for both Turks and Greek political prisoners. The new Greek government revived the hangings on the plane tree for “deserving” Turks and traitorous Greeks.

The prison was finally closed right before the 20th century, and the Archaeology Department began demolition in search of older and more important artefacts. By 1915, all that remained was the main door and a small portion of the adjacent exterior walls. The tree was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1919, appropriately closing a chapter on the horrific things that took place on and around it.

The door is now a symbol of its history, a dark reminder of what has been before.Read more