Galata Mevlevi House Museum is the most powerful icon representing Rumi’s philosophy in Istanbul. There are also whirling dervish performances in the museum, which is an old Mevlevi lodge.
Konya is actually the most important city of Mevlevi dervishes in Turkey. Once a year, a ritual of Mevlevi dervishes is held in Konya and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the country.
However, for those who do not have time to go to Konya, the museum in Istanbul also provides an adequate experience. In this article, you can find information about Galata Mevlevi House Museum entrance fee and opening hours. It should also be noted that it is known as the Galata Mevlevihanesi in the local language.
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Mevlevi Dervishes
Mevlevi Dervishes receive their names from Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi. Mevlana was a philosopher, poet and an opinion leader who lived between 1207-1273 in Konya. Sufis (Mawlawi dervishes) tried to strengthen their belief by prayers, Sufi music and whirling dervish performance.
Whirling Dervish Performance is the ritual style of Mawlavi Dervishes and it can be watched as a show today. Although it is performed at a theatre hall, if you focus on its thousands of years of holy meaning, you can enjoy it even more.
Whirling Dervish Shows in Istanbul
The most popular places to watch Whirling Dervish Show in Istanbul are Galata Mevlevi House Performance Hall and Hodjapasha Cultural Center. You can find information about these two halls in the following lines and buy tickets from the links.
1. Galata Mevlevi House Museum
Galata Mevlevi House Museum is undoubtedly the most famous Whirling Dervish Center in Istanbul. It’s located on the ramp from Galata Tower to Istiklal Street. The name of the street where the museum is located is Galip Dede Street and there are shops selling various musical instruments around it.
Whirling dervish shows are performed at 17:00 every Sunday. The hall where the show is performed can hold up to 150 spectators. Therefore, you are suggested to buy your tickets earlier in the day. During the times when the interest is high, it might be hard to find a ticket around the starting time of the show.
Galata Mevlevi Dervish Show tickets are sold through an online ticket sales company Biletix. As of April 29, 2021, the last date this blog post was updated, the ticket price is 100 Turkish Liras. You can click this link to buy a ticket. (This show may have been temporarily suspended due to Covid)
2. Hodjapasha Cultural Center
Hodjapasha Cultural Center was founded where an old Ottoman hamam used to be. It boasts a nice hall and an experienced group of whirling dervishes. It’s located at Cagaloglu Yokusu, nearby Sirkeci Tram Station, and Marmaray Sirkeci Station.
Hodjapasha attracts the attention of tourists as well as locals thanks to being one of the best places to watch traditional folk dances and whirling dervish shows.
Whirling dervish shows are performed a few days in a week at Hodjapasha Cultural Center and ticket price per person is around 250 Turkish Liras. You can purchase the ticket from this link.
The biggest difference of the whirling dervish in Hodjapasha is that it is displayed more frequently than Galata Mevlevi House. Also, the show in Hodjapasha is closer to the districts of Istanbul Old City such as Sultanahmet, Beyazit and Laleli.
Galata Mevlevi House Museum Entrance Fee 2022
Galata Mevlevi House Museum entrance fee is 25 Turkish Liras as of 2022. The museum is free for children under the age of eight and the Istanbul Museum Pass is valid at the entrance.
Galata Mevlevi House was a center where Rumi’s followers gathered during the Ottoman Empire. This historical building has been turned into a museum in modern times.
While visiting the museum, you can learn about the teachings of Rumi, a philosopher whose fame has spread around the world, and the lifestyle of his followers.
Galata Mevlevi House Museum Opening Hours 2022
Galata Mevlevi House Museum opening hours are between 09:00 in the morning and 18:30 in the evening. Please also note that The Museum is closed on Mondays.
Visiting times of museums in Istanbul may change due to events and renovations. Before going to the museum, I recommend you to visit the official website of the Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum and review the latest situation.
How to Get to The Museum?
Galata Mevlevi House Museum is located very close to the most important touristic centers of the city. Since the museum is located in Beyoglu district, it is possible to reach it on foot from Taksim Square, Pera, Galata and Karakoy.
In order to get to the Galata Mevlevi House Museum from Sultanahmet, you can take the Tram T1 to Karakoy stop and climb the Yuksek Kaldirim Slope, which goes towards the Galata Tower. This slope takes you to Galip Dede Street where the museum is located.
After visiting this museum, known as the “Galata Mevlevihanesi” in the local language, you can take a pleasant walk on Istiklal Street. Galata, Cihangir and Pera, which are the most beautiful districts of Beyoglu, surround the museum.
Written by Serhat Engul
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