Bayezid II Külliye Health Museum

Beyazid II Külliye Health Museum is in Edirne, Turkey. A "külliye" is an Ottoman architectural concept that designates a complex of buildings centered around a mosque and Bayezid II Külliye was built in 1488 by the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II.

The complex contains a darüşşifa (hospital, medical center) and it remained in operation for four hundred years as of 1488 until the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). The hospital was especially notable for its treatment methods for mental illnesses which included the use of music, water sound and scents.

The historic darüşşifa was incorporated into the structure of Trakya University, also based in Edirne, in 1993 and converted into a "Health Museum", a museum dedicated to the history of medicine and health matters in general, in 1997. It is constantly being developed since. To date, it is Turkey's only museum in its field and provides varied and valuable information to visitors on the development of medical sciences and of medical services throughout history, especially Ottoman history. The museum is the second most visited historical site in Edirne after Selimiye Mosque. The museum was awarded the European Council's "Europe Museum Award" in 2004.

External links

* [http://www.trakya.edu.tr/kulliye_ing/ Museum web site] en
* [http://basin.trakya.edu.tr/yedek/ozgur/muze_sunum.exe Downloadable information file] en
* [http://www.trakya.edu.tr Trakya University main page] en