Abstract
Stone vault construction that became widespread with the Seljuks in Anatolia, the Divriği Complex, built in the first quarter of the XIII. century, appears to be the only building where the entire vault system is different from each other. Turkey Seljuk architecture has numerous variety of groin vault which can be classified by the recessed angles and protruding edges formed on the surfaces by the numbers of the edges. In this context, the Divriği Complex represents the oldest known in Anatolia with the groin vaults in both the mosque and the hospital and the top covers consisting of combinations of these groin vaults. These vaults, each of which has different decorations, cover areas that are generally rectangular. Those appear as groin vaults with two, three, five, six sides and sometimes combinations of these. Here, as the aim of the research, the geometric structures of the Divriği Complex were examined by presenting the groin vaults in a series. At the same time, the vaults of the building have been evaluated among the Anatolian Seljuk works before it.
As a result, no stone groin vault example was encountered except bricks in the years before this work of art. However, it was experienced in Seljuk architectural structures in the following years. Thus, it may have shed light on the cut stone vault construction in its period and pioneered its spread. In the architecture of XIII century, considering the geography it is located, Divriği structure is unique in medieval Anatolian architecture, with its incredible geometric technique used in the construction of the 13th century architecture, especially in the construction of its vaults, and undoubtedly with thousands of other features. In this study, this work of art has been re-evaluated by shedding light on the variety of solutions adopted in the construction of the groin vaults.