Museum of the Whirling Dervishes. Istanbul
There is a former Sufi monastery of dervishes - the Galata Mevlevi Monastery (Galata Mevlevi Tekkesi). Here you can see the mysterious whirling dervish dance ceremony known as Sema. Dervishes and those traveling and living in the monastery obey the sheikh. On the eve of such ritual dances, dervishes must spend the night in the monastery. The spin dance is performed to music and, according to Sufi philosophy, this mystical act helps to connect one’s inner self with a fictional reality.
Mevlevi Abode and Whirling Dervishe Ceremony
The dervishes, dressed in high caps and wide skirts, begin to slowly spin around themselves. Their hands are folded on their chests, and their heads are tilted to the side. Rotations mean connection with the Universe, Divine energy and Supreme Love. The tempo of the music increases, the dervishes begin to move in a circle and their arms open. The performers fall into ecstasy, they raise their right hand up, receiving Divine power, and their left hand falls down, giving energy and love to people. This ancient ritual is a symbol of the passage of the Highest Divine Energy through the dervish.
The monastery was built in 1492 and officially closed in 1925. Right up until its closure, life was in full swing here. Members of the brotherhood participated in collective rituals of remembrance and celebration. The monastery housed a library, a kitchen, rooms for dervishes and a sheikh, and mausoleums.
Unusual excursions in Istanbul
Galata Mevlevi monastery today
Today, the Galata Mevlevi Monastery houses the Museum of Divan Literature (Divan Edebiyati Muzesi), i.e. classical Turkish poetry. Be sure to visit and inspect the monastery; it is an example of calm, beauty and harmony. There is a lovely garden in front of the entrance, and the main hall of the monastery, where the dervishes performed their hypnotic dance, is extremely luxurious and beautiful. The 18th-century pavilion at the end of the courtyard houses a museum displaying clothing, household items, musical instruments and ancient manuscripts. Sheikhs and the famous 17th-century poet Galip-Dede, who was the founder of a new type of court art, rest in the cemetery of the monastery.
After President Ataturk banned the Sufi orders in 1925, this ancient dervish ritual was recreated only in the 1950s within cultural centers. Dervishes lose their historical and religious significance, and skirt dancing becomes a popular and well-selling show for tourists. You have a unique opportunity to see this unique show in Istanbul, which is based on the history of iconic religious art that is over 800 years old. Now often dance performers are actors who are far from faith and religion. But the interest of city guests in this unusual performance is very high and tickets are quickly sold out, so it is better to buy them in advance at the monastery.
Additional Information
- Address: Whirling Dervish Museum: Galip Dede Caddesi 15, Tunel
A colorful city of contrasts and beautiful ancient architecture - the many-faced beauty of Istanbul. It is strewn with sights like the most beautiful crown of the Sultan with diamonds. This controversial city cannot be appreciated at first glance, because even a lifetime is not enough to study it. The legendary mosques stand proud with the grandeur of their minarets, reminding that Türkiye is a Muslim country; numerous noisy ones await beloved customers; Istanbul's magnificent museums open their doors. One of the most mysterious museums in Istanbul is considered Whirling Dervishe Museum.
Historical background of the Whirling Dervishe Museum in Istanbul
Galata Mevlevihanesi (Turkish: Galata Mevlevihanesi Müzesi) literally translated from Turkish as “abode of dervishes”. Indeed, for a long time the current museum existed as a place of residence and meetings for representatives of the religious order of Mevlana’s followers. At the end of the 15th century, Mehmed Dede began construction of the first monastery for dervishes. Galata grew over the years by leaps and bounds. Soon, a cemetery was added to the numerous buildings, where the ashes of famous personalities in Turkey were laid to rest. Some historians still insist on the version that somewhere here there is an unnamed burial place of Sultan Suleiman’s favorite and best friend, Grand Vizier Ibrahim.
In the mid-18th century, a fire destroyed the monastery, but they immediately began to rebuild it. But the 20th century brings the wind of change and with it a ban on any activity of all religious orders. The Dervishes are disbanded, and the Galata building is given over to a school. Almost 90 years later, the modern Dervish Museum in Istanbul opens here.
Whirling Dervish Museum - historical exoticism of modern Istanbul
In front of the entrance to the ancient dwelling of the Sufis there is a lovely garden and famous cemetery with his equally famous dead. Entering the monastery of the dervishes for the first time, you will be amazed by the beauty and luxury of the main hall of Galata Mevlevihanesi - it was here that the dervishes performed their ritual Sema dance, thanks to which this order became famous throughout the world, and the legendary dance in skirts became the main component of all shows in many Islamic countries . Wrapping themselves in snow-white robes in a demonic dance, the dervishes fell into an ecstatic religious trance.
Also at the Whirling Dervishes Museum in Istanbul you can get to know the everyday life of the monks, see their household items, the interior of the rooms and instruments for playing music. A separate part of the museum building is devoted to the theme of printing and manuscripts.
Useful information for tourists about the museum
The Whirling Dervishe Museum is located at: Turkey, Istanbul, Galip Dede Caddesi 15.
Best way to get there to the museum if you are going from- sit down by tram and go to the Tunnel stop.
Galata Mevlevihanesi works daily from 9 am to 6 pm. There is an audio guide available that will perfectly serve as your guide.
Enchanting show spinning Sufis can be seen within the walls of the museum on Sundays. Dervish dances begin at five o'clock in the evening.
Ticket prices:
- Museum entrance price - 5 lire.
- Audio assistant price - 5 lire.
- Ticket price for the show - 10 liras.
Official website of the museum with constantly updated information - www.rumimevlevi.com
Whirling Dervish Museum in the photo
A fascinating performance is the expressive Sema dance within the walls of the Whirling Dervishes Museum in Istanbul.
Whirling Dervishes Museum (Istanbul, Turkey) - exhibitions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.
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In the public consciousness, the Whirling Dervishes have become a symbol of Turkey, its calling card. However, this is not just an attraction invented to attract tourists, but one of the real practices of the religious order of Sufism, which is more than eight centuries old. Sufism significantly lost its social influence during the reign of Ataturk, when religious gatherings were dispersed en masse, and their participants were sent to forced labor. In those years, the dervish brotherhood ceased to exist as a community, but did not completely disappear, preserving traditions semi-underground. Later, the dervishes returned as a cultural phenomenon, as a conductor between the modern world and the historical past of the country and became incredibly popular in the tourism sector. In 2011, a museum of whirling dervishes opened on the territory of one of the few dervish monasteries that have survived to this day.
In the Whirling Dervishes Museum, tourists have the opportunity not only to see their hypnotic dance with their own eyes, but also to get acquainted with the lifestyle of the famous Muslim monks.
Now tourists have the opportunity not only to see with their own eyes the hypnotic dance of the dervishes, but also to get acquainted with the lifestyle of the famous Muslim monks, as well as the religious background of their movement.
Who are the dervishes?
Dervishes are Muslim ascetic monks who lived in so-called tekkiye communities. The dervishes have no concept of property, because, according to the trend that they preached, everything belongs to Allah. If the dervish owned something, he was obliged to share it. But it was not altruism and asceticism that made these monks famous; it was the traditional dance performed during religious events that made them world famous. Dervishes perform their dance dressed in long snow-white dresses; an indispensable attribute on their heads is a tall felt hat made of camel hair. They close their eyes, raise their right palm up, tilt their heads slightly and begin to quickly spin around themselves. Mystical spectacle!
In fact, performances of dancing dervishes in Istanbul can be seen in several places. Including in local restaurants, and even in street food stalls. But, nevertheless, the real mystical atmosphere of this dance can be felt at the old Serkenci station, located in the Eminonu district. The show is very popular among tourists, so tickets for it must be booked in advance. Since it only takes place two or three times a week, you should check the schedule in advance.
By the way, the Serkenji station is the same station where the Orient Express, described in the novel by Agatha Christie, once arrived in the old days. High-ranking public, including members of royal families, came to Istanbul in luxurious velvet carriages.
And it is at this station that you can watch performances of dancing dervishes. Tickets can be pre-ordered or purchased on the day of the performance one hour before it starts. And the performances themselves begin, as a rule, at 19 pm. Small improvised ticket offices open right on the station platform. The hall itself where the performances take place is very beautiful. All its walls are skillfully decorated with stained glass windows. Around the circle of this hall, freeing up space in the center, ordinary plastic chairs are placed in two rows. Naturally, those who come here early take the best seats in the front row. 
First, the musicians enter the hall and set up for about ten minutes. Then you will hear rather strange music, not particularly loud, rather it is quiet and somehow even natural. But you must understand that this, in fact, is not quite ordinary music. Muslim believers believe that this is the kind of music that sounds near the gates of heaven. The tone of the music is set by the sounds of a particularly viscous, hoarse flute. To help her, the drums turn on quietly and dully. The musicians' clothing is very unusual - over long white dresses with sleeves called jaluns they wear black capes, which also have wide sleeves. And on the heads of the musicians are tall brown caps made of camel hair.
The music plays for about 15-20 minutes. And then, almost silently, the dervishes themselves appear in the free space. In fact, in former times wandering monks - Sufis - were called dervishes. The order (or brotherhood) of dervishes was created by a unique person - Jalaleddin Rumi. This talented poet, mystic and philosopher was born on the territory of present-day Tajikistan. Since it is impossible to describe in a nutshell either the theory or the meaning of Sufism, this dance cannot be perceived by the mind, but only by the soul and heart. 
So, according to the ancient canons, Sufi dervishes simply must whirl in their dance. And this cannot be called a simple dance, it is rather some kind of mystical flight. In general, speaking literally, their rotation symbolizes the rotation of planets in the infinity of outer space, and besides this, human souls - around the great and omnipresent God.
The dance itself is usually preceded by a special ritual. The dervishes slowly come out, spread white rugs on the floor, and separately from them - a scarlet sheep skin. Then they take off their dark cloaks. They kneel down, crossing their arms over their chests, then stand up and bow to each other. Then they walk in a circle, then bow again, and so on. 
At first you simply observe all these actions with idle curiosity. But all this leisurely looking suddenly ends at the moment when the dervishes begin their whirling. At the same time, they raise their right hands with straightened palms up, and hold their left hands slightly lower - palms down. Then they very smoothly, gradually, begin to circle one after another. At the same time, their long, heavy and snow-white floor-length skirts reveal a beautiful wavy dome in a whirl. The faces of the dervishes at this time are completely detached. Without touching each other, with their eyes closed, they maintain their perfect balance and float smoothly, spinning at the same time. This sight is not just beautiful, it is truly mesmerizing. 
The palms of the dervishes are directed upward in order to receive the blessing of God, and downwards in order to convey this blessing down to the Earth in their dance. Moreover, all dervishes dance with their heads tilted at an angle of 25 degrees, which practically corresponds to the angle of inclination of the Earth (23 degrees). The most amazing thing is that in fact this dance, these clothes and these rituals are at least a thousand years old, but they have not changed at all since then. All their complex clothes - white dresses with skirts - jalun, with black woolen capes - capes and brown felt hats - kulas - are very symbolic. In fact, it means the death of one’s own Ego and the eternal desire for God. 
Some spectators of this mystical dance observe strange phenomena happening to them - for some, their watches stop, for others, visions begin. And all this does not happen by chance - after all, in fact, you are in contact with ancient mystical art, and not with some kind of theatrical show. And then, judge for yourself - after all, dervishes are not the only people whirling on Earth. Also in Ancient Greece, the bacchantes twirled in their dances, remember also the ancient Russian round dances, and small children also love to twirl. Obviously, in the whirling itself there is an obvious sacred meaning that we have yet to comprehend. So it’s definitely worth visiting this event.
Dervishes are known throughout the world for their traditional dance, which they perform during their religious ceremonies, spinning around their axis for a long time. It is believed that the order (brotherhood) of dervishes was created by the philosopher, mystic, and talented poet Jalaleddin Rumi. One of the few surviving monasteries of the “whirling dervishes” in Istanbul (or rather a museum dedicated to their order), after the ban on their activities in the 20s, is located in the Galata area. The museum is located in the Mevlevihanesi building and was opened in 2011. Earlier in 1491, the first dervish monastery in Istanbul was founded in this building. In 1925, the Dervish Order was banned (in accordance with the new law banning the activities of religious orders and monasteries in Turkey, issued by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in light of the reforms). On its territory there was first an elementary school and then a museum. It has an exhibition dedicated to the life of dervishes (rooms, household items, etc.), a small exhibition of calligraphy, costumes and musical instruments. There is a garden in the courtyard, where graves are located in the shade of trees, and in the main hall, performances by real dervishes take place twice a month.
The whirling dervish dancers wear long white robes and wear tall felt kul hats, traditionally made from camel hair. While spinning, they close their eyes, raise their right hand with the palm up, hold the left hand with the palm down, tilt their heads slightly to the side and begin to spin in a mystical dance one after another, plunging more and more into a trance with each circle. Their wide skirts form a snow-white dome. As they whirl, they are believed to represent the rotation of planets in space and human souls around God. The palms are turned up to receive God's blessing, and down to transmit it to the Earth.
You will not regret the time spent, firstly, you will get acquainted with real ancient art (it is more than 800 years old), you will see a stunning mystical spectacle, very beautiful and mesmerizing, and you will also visit the oldest Istanbul monastery of dervishes, get acquainted with their way of life and way of life . The museum is open daily (except Sundays) from 9.00 to 18.00. Ticket price is 5 Turkish lira.
