The Mevlana Museum, situated in the historic city of Konya, Turkey, serves as a lasting emblem of Sufi mysticism and philosophical profundity. The former lodge of the famed Persian poet, Islamic philosopher, and spiritual figure Jalal ad-Din Rumi, known as Mevlana, has operated as a museum since 1926. Commonly referred to as the Mevlana Tomb, this hallowed site attracts millions of pilgrims, scholars, and inquisitive travelers seeking understanding of Rumi’s life, teachings, and legacy.

The prominent Green Dome, the burial site of Mevlana, dominates the skyline of the museum complex. The structure is built on four sturdy columns, referred to as “elephant feet,” and showcases a combination of Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles. Since its establishment, the tomb has experienced multiple expansions, demonstrating the profound veneration accorded to it by successive monarchs.

The Ottoman Empire, especially under sultans associated with the Mevlevi order, guaranteed the site’s careful preservation and improvement. The ongoing support of these rulers led to elaborate decorations, calligraphic inscriptions, and the incorporation of multiple annexes, converting the lodge into a vast complex of considerable historical importance.

The museum and its adjacent garden, originally encompassing 6,500 square meters, have been enlarged to an impressive 18,000 square meters. The expansion encompassed the addition of the renowned Rose Garden, which further elevates the spiritual atmosphere of the location.

A prominent element of the garden is the historic fountain, ascribed to the Germiyanoğulları Principality. The central portion of this fountain is thought to have been donated to the museum by the principality, thereby enhancing the site’s cultural significance. The garden, adorned with aromatic flowers and serene pathways, provides visitors a reflective environment that complements the museum’s deep spiritual ambiance.

Prior to its public opening at no cost, the Mevlana Museum ranked among the top revenue-generating entities within the Ministry of Culture. The museum’s financial success highlighted its significant popularity as both a pilgrimage destination and a hub for historical and artistic preservation. Even in the absence of entrance fees today, its cultural and historical value remains unparalleled, drawing millions of visitors annually.

In Ahmed Eflaki’s landmark work, Menkıbeleri of the Wise, a thought-provoking incident displays Mevlana’s perspective on worldly magnificence. When the reigning sultan expressed a wish to erect a magnificent tomb for his father, Mevlana gently admonished him, saying, “Since you cannot build anything more magnificent than the sky, do not bother.” True to his ideology, Mevlana’s own final resting place was erected posthumously, becoming a haven of spiritual reflection and veneration.

Within the museum’s holy halls lie treasures of tremendous historical and spiritual value. Among the most valued exhibits are:

• Mevlana’s Coffin: A revered relic, enshrined within the Green Dome, marking his eternal rest.
• The Pûşîde: An intricately embroidered grave cover that adorns Mevlana’s tomb.
• The Mesnevi: His magnum opus, a poetic masterpiece that has transcended centuries, offering wisdom and guidance to seekers worldwide.
• The Nisan Stone: A historically significant marker, adding to the richness of the museum’s collection.

Additionally, the museum holds the tombs of Mevlana’s family members and prominent followers, thus establishing its place as a spiritual and historical nucleus.

The Mevlana Museum is one of Turkey’s most visited cultural landmarks. In 2024 alone, it welcomed over 3 million people, confirming its place as the second most frequented museum-archaeological site in the country. Historical records suggest that it received an amazing 3.4 million visits in 2019, making it the most visited museum in Turkey that year.

The mausoleum’s national significance is further evidenced by its depiction on the back side of the 5000-lira Turkish banknotes from 1981 to 1994, thereby immortalizing its legacy in the nation’s cultural and economic history.

The Historical Evolution of the Mevlâna Museum

The Mevlâna Museum, an esteemed location in Konya, Turkey, exemplifies the significant legacy of Jalâl ad-Dîn Muhammad Rûmî, commonly referred to as Mevlâna. This hallowed site, formerly a dervish lodge, currently functions as a museum, safeguarding the spiritual and artistic legacy of the Mevlevi Order. Its history is intricately linked to the Seljuk period, showcasing centuries of dedication, architectural advancement, and cultural change.

The Origins of the Mausoleum

Sultan ‘Ala’ al-Din Kayqubad, the eminent Seljuk sovereign, extended an invitation to Mevlâna and his family to reside in Konya, exhibiting profound respect for Rûmî’s father, Baha’ ud-Din Walad. After Baha’ ud-Din Walad’s death on 12 January 1231, the Sultan appointed his private rose garden as the burial site for this revered scholar and mystic. This act of patronage emphasized the profound reverence for Rûmî’s heritage and established the groundwork for what would subsequently evolve into a major spiritual landmark in the Islamic world.

Following Mevlâna’s death on 17 December 1273, he was buried alongside his father, so enhancing the site’s sanctity. This burial site rapidly transformed into a center of reverence, attracting devotees and admirers who found comfort in Rûmî’s doctrines of divine love and unity.

The Construction of the Kubbe-i-Hadra

Understanding the need for an impressive edifice that reflected his master’s spiritual significance, Mevlâna’s successor, Hüsamettin Çelebi, commenced the construction of a magnificent mausoleum, referred to as the Kubbe-i-Hadra, or the “Green Dome.” The responsibility of realizing this concept was assigned to the proficient architect Badr al-Din Tabrizi. By 1274, the foundational work was finalized, establishing a lasting architectural masterpiece that would epitomize Rûmî’s legacy.

Financial support for this large project was supplied by prominent benefactors, including Gurju Khatun, spouse of the Seljuk Emir Suleiman Pervâne, and Emir Alameddin Kayser. Their substantial contributions highlighted the profound respect shown to Mevlâna and the Mevlevi Order within the Seljuk court.

The Kubbe-i-Hadra, featuring a magnificent turquoise-tiled dome, was originally situated on a cylindrical drum upheld by four sturdy pillars. This vivid color, representative of the celestial and the divine, became a lasting visual hallmark of the shrine. Throughout the years, the edifice experienced multiple alterations, each enhancement augmenting its magnificence while preserving the spiritual integrity of the original design.

Expansions and Artistic Enhancements

From the 13th to the 19th centuries, the Mevlâna complex experienced ongoing growth. Subsequent sovereigns and patrons enhanced the site by incorporating additional halls, prayer rooms, and areas for dervishes to partake in Sufi rituals. By 1854, the complex attained its current configuration, integrating diverse elements that enhanced its architectural and cultural importance.

Artisans significantly contributed to the interior’s enhancement. The esteemed artisan Selimoğlu Abdülvahit embellished the interior with elaborate embellishments and precisely sculpted wooden catafalques, showcasing the Seljuk tradition’s expertise in geometric and floral designs. These features, combined with superb calligraphy and decoration, augmented the site’s ethereal appeal, creating an immersive haven for spiritual searchers.

Transformation into a Museum

In the early 20th century, extensive reforms in Turkey resulted in the secularization of numerous religious institutions. On 6 April 1926, a decree from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk authorized the transformation of the mausoleum and its adjacent dervish lodge into a museum. This modification sought to maintain the site as a historical and cultural landmark instead of a functional religious institution. On 2 March 1927, the Mevlâna Museum inaugurated its public access, welcoming people worldwide to discover the profound legacy of Rûmî and the Mevlevi Order.

In 1954, the institution was officially renamed the Mevlâna Museum. Currently, it is one of Turkey’s most frequented cultural landmarks, containing a vast assortment of antiques, manuscripts, and relics linked to Rûmî’s life and Sufi beliefs.

The Mevlana Museum: A Sanctuary of Sufi Heritage

The Courtyard: An Entrance to Spiritual Legacy

Upon entering the majestic Devisan Kapısı, visitors arrive at the marble-floored courtyard of the Mevlana Museum, a poignant area steeped in centuries of history and reverence. To the right is the dervishes’ kitchen (matbah), a facility that offered nourishment and functioned as an educational venue where disciples acquired the sacred skill of the sema, the captivating whirling ritual. Adjacent to it is the tomb of Hurrem Pasha, an emblem of Ottoman magnificence, commissioned during the reign of Süleyman the Magnificent.

On the left, a sequence of 17 dervish cells, each topped with a diminutive dome, borders the courtyard. Built during the reign of Murad III, these cells formerly accommodated ascetics dedicated to the Mevlevi order. Central to the courtyard, the ṣadirvan (ablutions fountain), constructed during the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, shimmers beneath the Anatolian sky, representing spiritual purification prior to prayer and contemplation.

The Ritual Hall: The Echoes of Whirling Devotion

The Semahane, a magnificent hall constructed during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, serves as a sanctuary where dervishes historically conducted the sema. Accompanied by the entrancing melodies of traditional instruments—the kemence (a diminutive, three-stringed violin), the kemane (a larger violin), the halile (a small cymbal), the daire (a tambourine-like instrument), the kudüm (a resonant drum), the rebab (a stringed lute), and the ethereal ney (reed flute)—they yielded to divine ecstasy.

This chamber is adorned with artifacts of great historical importance: an 18th-century Kirşehir prayer rug, garments previously worn by Mevlâna, and four 16th-century Egyptian Mameluk crystal-glass mosque lamps. Among the literary treasures contained herein are a rare Divan-i-Kebir (1366), a compilation of lyrical poetry, and two meticulously preserved Masnavis from 1278 and 1371, texts infused with the philosophical essence of Sufi wisdom.

The Sarcophagi: Resting Places of the Chosen

Under the iconic turquoise dome (Kibab’ulaktab), an architectural masterpiece distinctive of Konya’s skyline, lies the coffin of Mevlâna. This hallowed mausoleum, adorned with luxurious brocade and intricately embroidered with golden Quranic words, emanates devotion. The intricate textile work was a generous offering from Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1894.

Adjacent to Mevlâna’s grave are the final resting places of his father, Bahaeddin Veled, and his son, Sultan Veled, both prominent figures in the Mevlevi lineage. A remarkable artifact of Seljuk artistry, Mevlâna’s 12th-century wooden tomb exemplifies exquisite woodcarving. The sacredness of this sacred sanctuary is enhanced by a silver lattice, an ornate wall created by Ilyas in 1579, delineating the tombs of these esteemed individuals from the main room.

The Mausoleum: An Ornate Portal to Eternity

The Türbe Kapısı (Tomb Gate) serves as the entrance to the mausoleum, flanked by dual doors embellished with elaborate Seljuk designs and a Persian inscription by the renowned poet Mollah Abdurrahman Cami, dated 1492. The Tilavet Room reverberates with spiritual recitations, its walls embellished with Ottoman calligraphy in the esteemed sülüs, nesih, and talik scripts.

Behind a magnificent silver door, commissioned by the son of Mehmed III in 1599, the mausoleum contains six coffins, organized in pairs, belonging to the Horasan erler, the dervishes who accompanied Mevlâna from Belkh to Konya. Confronting them, on an imposing platform beneath dual domes, lie the cenotaphs of Mevlâna’s progeny, encompassing his spouse, offspring, and distinguished figures of the Mevlevi order.

The Mosque: A Repository of Sacred Texts

Adjacent to the mausoleum is a diminutive mosque (masjid), converted into a repository for illuminated Korans and rare prayer rugs. Among its esteemed relics is a lacquered box inlaid with mother-of-pearl, containing an object of significant reverence: the Sakal-i Ṣerif (Holy Beard of Muhammad). This artifact, a physical link to the Prophet, imbues the chamber with an extraordinary sacredness.