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Mevlana Museum

Mevlana Museum

Aziziye Mah., Mevlana Cad. No:1, 42030 Karatay/Konya, Turkey

RELIGIONS Islam

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELIGIOUS SITE

DESCRIPTION
While the Museum originally covered an area of 6.500m² together with its garden, with the section expropriated later and designed as a rose garden, it has today reached a size of 18.000m² . The courtyard of the museum is entered from "Dervişan Kapısı" (The gate of the Dervishes). There are dervish cells along the north and west sides of the courtyard. The south side, after Matbah and Hürrem Pasha Mausoleums, terminates with the gate of Hamuşan (Sealed Lips) which opens to Üçler cemetery. On the eastern side of the courtyard there are mausoleums of Sinan Pasha, Fatma Hatun and Hasan Pasha, the Semahane (Ritual Prayer Hall) next to them and the small mosque (mesjid) section and the main building where the graves of Mevlana and his family members are also housed. The courtyard is given a special flavor with the roofed washing fountain (şadırvan) built by Sultan Yavuz Sultan Selim in 1512 and the "Şeb-i Arus" (means nuptial night or the night Mevlana passed away) pool and the fountain which is located in the northern part of the court and called Selsebil.
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE
Mevlana Dergahı (Dervish Lodge) which is presently used as a museum formerly the Rose Garden of the Seljuks Palace. It was given as a gift to Mevlana's father Sultanü'l-Ulema Bahaaeddin Veled by Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat. When Sultanü'l-Ulema died on 12 January 1231, he was buried in the present grave which is in the mausoleum. This was the first burial ever to take place in the Rose Garden. After the death of Sultanü'l-Ulema, his friends and disciples approached Mevlana and expressed their wish to build a maussoleum over his grave. Mevlana refused this request remarking "How could there be a better mausoleum than the sky itself?). However, when he died on 17 December 1273, his son Sultan Veled accepted the request of those who wanted to build a mausoleum over Mevlana's grave.The mausoleum called "Kubbe-i Hadra" (Green mausoleum) was built by the architect Bedrettin from Tebriz for 130.000 Seljuk dirhem (currency) on four elephant feet (thick columns). After this date, the construction activities never ceased and continued in stages up to the end of the 19th century. Mevlevi Dergahı (Dervish Lodge) and the mausoleum started to function as a museum in 1926 under the name of Konya Museum of Historical Works. In 1954 the display pattern of the museum was once more taken up and it was renamed as the Mevlevi Museum.
INTER-RELIGIOUS RELEVANCE
Mevlana is a 13th century Muslim saint and Anatolian mystic known throughout the world for his exquisite poems and words of wisdom, which have been translated into many languages. Rumi, as he is known in the west, is the best-selling poet in USA. Mevlana was a Muslim, but not an orthodox type. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. To him all religions were more or less truth. Mevlana looked with the same eye on Muslim, Jew and Christian alike. His peaceful and tolerant teachings have appealed to men of all sects and creeds. In 1958, Pope John XXIIIwrote a special message saying: “In the name of the Catholic World, I bow with respect before the memory of Rumi.” Every 17 December, the night of Mevlana's death, thousands of people from all around the world gather at the magnificient 13th century Mevlana Mausoleum to celebrate Seb-i Arus, his 'Wedding Day', his reunion with his Beloved, with the Divine.
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
Mevlana is one of the greatest of the thousand-year Turkish cultural history. He is not only a great poet, but a founder of the order, a deep sufi, not a comprehensive scholar; at the same time and before all, a deep soul and a man of action that provides a great fusion and unification among the new cultural elements that have begun to be established in Anatolia. Mevleviism put courtesy and grace in social life. It affected many statesmen, scholars and artisans who developed in Anatolia, in the Balkans, in Cyprus, in the Arabian Peninsula and in North Africa. Mevlana and Mevleviism affected the Turkish society; It left deep traces on his social, political, cultural and religious life. It is understood that the passers of the Khilafah after the death of Mevlana Celâleddin also exerted their utmost efforts to maintain relations with the central administrative circles and maintained these in a deliberate and conscientious manner in terms of spreading the cult by providing political support. These close associations established by political authorities are the foundations for which they endorse the sect. From the beginning of the century, Mevlevi has created a strong economic base for its future development.
HOW TO USE WITH THE STUDENTS
Direct visit can be arranged to Konya at the time of sebi arus ceremonies. So that students witness the whirling dervishes.
Virtual visit (By using smart boards or projectors in the classrooms all students with the guidance of a teacher can visit the museum. Also the students can visit the place individually from the given link.)
http://www.3dmekanlar.com/tr/mevlana-muzesi.htm l
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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.