Dar al-Shifa
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Dar al-Shifa (from Arabic دار الشفاء ), literally "house of health" or "house of cure" , is the term used in the historical context of Islamic architecture to designate a building constructed for medical purposes, equivalent of a hospital or a medical center of our day.
Synonymous terms for this type of building were the Persian words "Bīmāristān", "Bīmārkhāna", "Šifākhāna" or (for mental illnesses) "Timarkhāna".
Alternative spellings for "Dar al-shifa" include "Dâr al-shifâ" or, in Turkish, "Darüşşifa".
The term oftenly used as a name to many hospitals in few arabic countries, as an example Dar Al-shifaa Private Hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, http://www.daralshifaa.net.
Some of the famous Dar al-Shifas are indicated below;
- Gevher Nesibe Darüşşifa and Medrese (medical school) in Kayseri, Turkey
- Divriği Great Mosque's adjoining Turan Melek Sultan Darüşşifa in Divriği, Turkey
- Şifaiye Medrese (medical school) and Darüşşifa in Sivas, Turkey
- Bayezid II Külliye complex of buildings' Darüşşifa in Edirne, Turkey, a museum dedicated to medicine today
