The Seljuq King Nour Eddine Zengi built this Islamic school in the second half of the 12th century, and he is laid to rest in it.

Nour Eddine chose this particular spot to build Al-Madrasa Al-Nouriya because it is where the house of the Umayyad Caliph Muawiya Bin Abi Sufyan used to be in the 8th century.