Museum of Classical Ottoman Divan Literature
The Galata Mevlevi Lodge (mevlevihane) or as it is also known the Kulekapi Mevlevi Lodge which is now serving as a museum, is one of the institutions which reflect the culture of the era in the best possible way. 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. The Mevlevi Lodge which is located at the top of the steep street going down to Yuksekkaldirim is the oldest Mevlevi Lodge of Istanbul. It was built in 1491, on the hunting grounds of Iskender Pasha who was a governor - general during the times of Sultan Bayezid. Its first master was Mehmet Mehmed Sema-i Celebi. The building was struck by fire during the reign of Sultan Mustafa III. (1766) but was replaced by the existing Mevlevi Lodge by the same Sultan. In later years, the building underwent repairs during the reigns of Sultans Selim III, Mahmud II and Abdullmecid. The institution which carried out its activities until 1925 was once more restored between the years 1967 - 1972. The Mevlevi Lodge which was built as a complex contained rooms and spaces for pray chanting, dervish cells, the quarters of the master (seyh), special prayer (namaz) area for the Sultan, the section for the female members, library, fountain for the public, clock room, kitchen, mausoleums and an enclosed graveyard.
Semahane
(Ritual Prayer Hall)
On the enterence door of this wood structured section there is the restoration statement of Sultan Abdulmecid 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 Seyh Galib, Ismail Ankaravi, Esrar and Fasih Dedes and the poetess Leyla Hanim who were trained and educated at the Mevlevi Lodge are kept in chronological order. The quarters of the master (seyh) 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
Seyh Galib Mausoleum; It was built by Halet Said Efendi at the beginning of the 19th century. It has a square plan. Mehmed Ruhi, Huseyin, Isa Selim, Sarih-, Ismail Ankaravi who first annotated the Mesnevi and Seyh 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, Seyh Kudretullah, Ataullah Efendi, Halet Said Efendi and Emine Esma Hanim 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 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 (seyh) 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 Humbaraci Ahmed Pasha, Ibrahim Muteeferrika who set up the first printing press in Turkey, the composer Vardakosta Seyyid Ahmet Aga, Nayi Osman Dede, and the family members of Tepedelenli Ali Pasha are also here. The tomb stones are significant for their inscriptions and decorations.
