The Uthman Pasha Madrasa is part of a complex including a mosque, tomb, and cemetery built in 1654 by Uthman al-Sakizli. He ruled Tripoli from 1649-1672 during a period of economic success and official patronage.
The madrasa is built around a courtyard from which one gains access to student accommodations. The simple vaulted student rooms have a raised platform for sleeping and storage. Entrance to the courtyard from the street is through a small domed hall. The courtyard has a riwaq, or colonnade, on each side, and the east corner opens into a small square mosque. The mosque and accompanying mausoleum are each covered by a ribbed dome erected above an unusual octagonal base.
Sources:
Islamic art and architecture in Libya. 1976. London: Libyan General Committee for Participation in the World of Islam Festival, 72.
El-Ballush, Ali Masud. 1979. A history of Libyan Mosque Architecture during the Ottoman and Karamanli Period: 1551-1911. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Ph.D. 489.
Warfelli, Muhammad. 1976. The Old City of Tripoli. Art and Archaeology Research Papers April: 2-18.