Galata Mevlevi Lodge and Museum

The Gatala Mevlevi Lodge and Museum has managed to bring music and science together for years. As you know, the places called the mevlevi lodges have an important place in the Turkish culture. Communities who gather at these places are trained comprehensively especially in fine arts. Those people who are trained in mevlevi lodges and become experts in their respective fields are called artists. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge and Museum is among the historical places worth seeing in İstanbul. This place is also the oldest mevlevi lodge known in the city. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge and Museum is located in Beyoğlu. This historical structure on Yüksek Kaldırım was built at the end of the 15^th century.

İskender Paşa played an important role in the construction of the Galata Mevlevi Lodge. He was also the Governor of Sultan Beyazıd II. When the Mevlevi Lodge was open, the first sheik was Mehmed Sema-i Çelebi. The structure burned down in a fire during the period of Mustafa III and a new one was built which has managed to survive so far. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge was repaired during the period of Selim III. It actively operated until the proclamation of the Republic. It was left to its fate from 1925 to 1967. After a new repair which lasted for 5 years, it was put to service again in 1972. This time, it was opened as a complex. This group of structures has a fountain, a library, a meeting hall and a sema all and others.

A part of the wooden section is used as the Semahane Museum and there is a repair inscription on the entrance. The inscription points at 1853 as the date of construction and is signed by Abdülmecid. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge and Museum has an octagonal layout. When you visit here, you can see the handwritten works of important names such as Poet Leyla Hanım and Şeyh Galip. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge has been serving as a musum since 1975. It is open to visitors everyday other than Mondays.