Galata Mevlevi Lodge

“Come, come, whoever you are” Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi

The Mevlevi Lodges which for centuries combined scholarship with music had a great influence on the Turkish culture. A great number of those people who came together in a Mevlevi Lodge environment were educated in various areas of fine arts and their names were remembered for a long time as far as science and scholarship was concerned.

Galata Mevlevi Lodge

Dating back to 1491 and has become a museum in 1975 under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, the Galata Mevlevi Lodge (Galata Mevlevihanesi) is an exciting museum showcases variety of Turkish calligraphic art items, music items and items belonging to the Mevlevi culture.

Situated in Galata on a 6,800 square meters vast territory, it attracts all the foreign visitors, that many wrote articles and drew designs on the lodge and the whirling dervishes.

With its historical Main Door, Galata Mevlevi Lodge awaits you at one end of İstiklal Street of Beyoğlu, and to the left at the beginning of Galip Dede Street. This lodge would be referred to as Galata or Kulekapısı Mevlevi Lodge or Galip Dede Tekke, during the Ottoman era. It was established in 1491 and represents the most important Ottoman works in Beyoğlu along with Galata Palace School. In 1975, it was opened to visitors as Divan Literature Museum before it was reorganized as Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum in 2011.

9 Sema Area (Sema House ground floor) There is an epitaph above the gateway about the renovation done during the reign of Sultan Abdulmejid I. Passing through the gateway, you are faced with the Sema area covered with walnut floor. The mihrap (prayer niche) and minber (pulpit) are found at the back of the Sema area. There is a calligraphy panel, reading “Ya Hazrat-e Mawlana,” penned by Yesarizade Mustafa İzzet, before the Mıtrıb Mahfili (lodge) facing the Sema 9 Lodges (Sema House upstairs) The lodges (mahfil) and back rooms facing the Sema area from three sides except the prayer niche (mihrap) direction are used to exhibit other works from the Museum collections. In the lodges can be found the Marbling Exhibition by Mustafa Düzgünman, the Calligraphy Exhibition, the Hilye-i Şerif (Sublime Characteristics of Prophet Muhammad) Sheets Exhibition, the Çelebi Lodge, the Royal Lodge and the Ottoman Army Band and Musical Instruments Exhibition. 6 Tomb of Sheikh Galip (İsmail Ankaravi) 3 Tomb of Halet Efendi (Kudretullah Dede) The Tomb of Sheikh Galip is a rectangular tomb, with a lead-covered roof, built in 1819. İsmail Ankaravi (d. 1731), İsa Dede (d. 1771), Selim Dede (d. 1777), Galip Dede (d. 1799) and Mehmed Ruhi Dede (d. 1810) were buried in the tomb. The Tomb of Halet Efendi was built in 1872. Halet Efendi (tombstone), Kudretullah Dede, Ataullah Dede, Ubeydullah Dede and Emine Hanım were buried in the tomb.

When you visit the museum of Galata Mevlevi Lodge, you’ll be informed about the lodge life, architecture and Mevlevi culture. Visitors will discover the lodge by means of art academy and also will have a chance to relax in its peaceful environment.

 Semahane

(Ritual Prayer Hall)

On the entarence door of this wood structured section there is the restoration statement of Sultan Abdülmecid dated 1853. The building has an octagonal plan and a good sample of the baroque style of the 18th century. In this section Turkish musical instruments and works related to the Mevlevi culture are exhibited. In the upper section which is divided with wooden grills, the poems (divan) of the Classical Ottoman poets and manuscripts belonging to Şeyh Galib, İsmail Ankaravi, Esrar and Fasih Dedes and the poetess Leyla Hanım who were trained and educated at the Mevlevi Lodge are kept in chronological order. The quarters of the master (şeyh) and the special praying area for the Sultan are upstairs.

Dervish Cells

It is constructed with stone and consists of rooms in a row.

Mausoleums

Şeyh Galib Mausoleum; It was built by Halet Said Efendi at the beginning of the 19th century. It has a square plan. Mehmed Ruhi, Hüseyin, İsa Selim, Şarih-, İsmail Ankaravi who first annotated the Mesnevi and Şeyh Galib Efendi are buried here.

Halet Said Efendi Mausoleum; it was built at the same time as the other mausoleum. Has a square plan. Inside, Şeyh Kudretullah, Ataullah Efendi, Halet Said Efendi and Emine Esma Hanım who is the wife of Ubeydullah Efendi are burried.

Fountain and the Clock Room

They are located to the right of the entrance. The masonary structure was built in the early 19th century.

Library

It was built by Halet Said Efendi. It is on the top floor of the special prayer place and contains 3455 volumes.

Treasury (Graveyard)

those who functioned as masters (şeyh) at the Mevlevi Lodge, their spouses, the “kudum” and “ney” playing musicians and poets who had “divans” (volume of collected poems) are burried here. The graves of Humbaracı Ahmed Pasha, İbrahim Müteeferrika who set up the first printing press in Turkey, the composer Vardakosta Seyyid Ahmet Ağa, Nayi Osman Dede, and the family members of Tepedelenli Ali Pasha are also here. The tomb stones are significant for their inscriptions and decorations.

How can I find the Galata Mevlevi Lodge?

The Galata Lodge is located on Galipdede Street (aka ‘Music Street) that runs from Tünel at the bottom end of Istiklal Street to the Karaköy tram stop and Galata Bridge. The peaceful cemetery and courtyard offers a welcome reprieve from the buzzing shopping streets nearby.

Winter Period
1 October – 1 April
Opening time: 10:00
Closing time: 16:00