Activity Program | 2011

The "Mevlevi Culture and the Sema Ceremony" programme, which was put together with the help of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency has ended.

We are looking forward to be re-united with the lovers of Mevlana later in the year. Please follow this page for any future activities.

Sema Ceremony filmed on location at the Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi

The Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi

The Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi was constructed in 1597-1598 by the janissary scribe Malkoç Mehmet Efendi as Istanbul’s second mevlevihane, in today’s Mevlânakapı district. The Mevlevihane’s first sheikh was Kemâl Ahmed Dede. The initial construction of the tekke consisted of only eighteen dervish cells, a semahane (ritual quarters) and a matbah (kitchen).

The Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, one of Turkey’s most important cultural landmards, has seen nineteen sheikh posts until 1925, when a law was imposed dictating the closure of all tekkes and dervish lodges within Turkey’s borders. This closure included the Mevlihane, of which the last sheikh was Abdülbaki Baykara. The Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, one of the most important landmarks of our literary and musical world, has been host to esteemed personalities of Turkey’s cultural history; charismatic sheikhs such as Ebubekir Dede, Ali Nutkî Dede, Abdülbâki Nasır Dede, Osman Selâhaddin Dede, Sheikh Galip, Mustafa Itrî and Hammamizâde İsmail Dede.

Map & Directions

Address:

Mevlevihane Caddesi Merkez Efendi Mahallesi, Zeytinburnu 34015 Istanbul Türkiye

Email:

umv@mevlana.net

Please note! Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi is not at Yenikapı, which is on Sahil Yolu. Instead, it is at Merkez Efendi mahallesi, which is on E-5 motorway and outside the ancient walls (surlar) at Topkapı.

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