Istanbul’s third Mevlevi lodge welcomes visitors after 99 years
Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane, Istanbul’s third Mevlevi lodge, reopened on Saturday after 99 years.
The building, which has been restored in accordance with its original structure by the Directorate General of Foundations of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, will be used for activities in the fields of Sufism, education and art.
Established and operational for 300 years since its founding, the lodge is located in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district.
The historic building was reopened under the auspices of the Human and Wisdom Foundation. Following the laying of the ceremonial post in the semahane where the whirling dervish ceremony took place, the president of the foundation, Mehmet Fatih Çıtlak, delivered the opening speech. After Çıtlak’s speech, a whirling dervish ceremony was performed accompanied by a hymn of supplication.
Established in the 1620s through the efforts of Fırıncızade Şeyh Sırrı Abdi Dede, Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane is the third Mevlevihane opened in Istanbul after those in Galata and Yenikapı. Undergoing comprehensive renovations for the first time in 1731, Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane was rebuilt under the patronage of Sultan Selim III in 1796 and again in 1835 under Sultan Mahmud II. For 300 years from its establishment until the closure of tekkes in 1925, it has been instrumental in nurturing individuals for the Ottoman civilization.
The architecture of Kasımpaşa Mevlevihanesi reflects traditional Ottoman design, featuring a central courtyard surrounded by rooms for prayer, meditation and communal gatherings. The main hall, or semahane, is where the mesmerizing sema ceremonies took place. These ceremonies were not merely performances but profound spiritual rituals aimed at attaining a state of divine union and transcendence.
Throughout its history, Kasımpaşa Mevlevihanesi played a vital role in the spiritual and cultural life of Istanbul. It served as a center for religious education, artistic expression and philosophical discourse. The teachings of Sufi mystic Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, emphasizing love, tolerance and spiritual enlightenment, resonated deeply with many people, drawing them to the Mevlevi order and its tekkes.
Evliya Çelebi’s dream
The renowned 17th-century Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi, with one foot in Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane and the other traversing three continents like a compass, had a dream in which he received the Prophet Muhammad’s blessing, interpreted by Sheikh Abdullah Dede of Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane before he wrote his famous “Seyahatname” (“Book of Travels”).
In the Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane, described by writer Hüseyin Vassaf as “a golden cage,” many prominent figures such as Müneccimbaşı Ahmed Dede, Enis Receb Dede, Salih Dede, Ahmed Avni Konuk, Tahirü’l-Mevlevî, Santuri Edhem Efendi, Rauf Yekta Bey and others have left their mark.
Abandoned and left desolate since 1925, and completely burnt down in 1976, Kasımpaşa Mevlevihane has now risen from its ashes today.
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