Alliance of Civilization Institute is in the grounds of the Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, a dervish lodge set up by the Head Sheikh of the Janissary Corps Malkoc Mehmet Efendi in 1598. The dervish lodge gradually developed into a kulliya complex. It is one of the greatest examples of the 'Asitane' complex in dargah architecture. It is the second Mawlawi dargah, after Galata Mevlevihanesi, to have become operational in Istanbul.
History
Alliance of Civilization Institute is in the grounds of the Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, a dervish lodge set up by the Head Sheikh of the Janissary Corps Malkoc Mehmet Efendi in 1598. The dervish lodge gradually developed into a kulliya complex. It is one of the greatest examples of the 'Asitane' complex in dargah architecture. It is the second Mawlawi dargah, after Galata Mevlevihanesi, to have become operational in Istanbul.
It is stated in historical records that in its beginnings Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi was composed of the sama house, masjid, harem living quarters, fountain, tomb and eighteen dervish cells. In Evliya Celebi's notes, the structures appear as a complex that is situated in a fertile garden space, composed of sama house, imarat and around 70 dervish cells.
Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi was in the service of the Mawlawi order for 328 years until 1925 when dargahs and tekkes were closed in Turkey. It was then used as student accommodation for a very long period. A fire destroyed most of it in 1961. After another fire in 1997 it fell into complete disuse. Rebuilding started in 2005 and was completed in 2009.
Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi is the establishment where one of the most eminent Ottoman men of letters Şeyh Celebi and a number of the leading names in Turkish sufi music Ismail Dede Efendi, Itri, Şeyh Galip were educated. That is why the Mevlevihane carries great importance, not just for the history of the dervish order and tasavvuf, but also for cultural history in general.
Today, the Mevlevihane is ready, with the multifaceted activities that the Alliance of Civilizations Institute carries out in its grounds, to function as an important academy, a cultural centre and a museum where the heartbeat of the country's scientific, artistic and cultural life can be felt.
Alliance of Civilization Institute is in the grounds of the Yenikapı Mevlevihanesi, a dervish lodge set up by the Head Sheikh of the Janissary Corps Malkoc Mehmet Efendi in 1598.
The Mevlevihane has three separate sections and sits on a 7000 square meter space. After the many fires that it survived, it came to be in its current form in 1906, built by the renowned architect Kemaleddin.
Those Who Are In The Graveyard
Seyyid Mustafa Hıfzı Dede Paşa (Tanzimat Meclisi Üyesi)
Şerife Zeyneb Hanımefendi (Seyyid Mustafa Hıfzı Dede Paşa’nın eşi)
Ahmet Şevki Beg (Fuat Paşa’nın Kethüdası)
Vahide Hanım
İzzet Münif Efendi (yüksek devlet memuru)
Şefik Beg (Evkaf-ı Hümayun muhasebecisi)
Server Ağa
Seyyid Ebu Bekir Mümtaz Efendi
Emin Bey
Arif Efendi
Celile Hanım
Mevhibe Hanım
Hadice Yıldız Hanım
Mehmet Nafiz Beg (III. Süvari Alayının Mir-alayı)
Şerife Aişe Hanım
Şerife Ümm-i Gülsüm Sa’ide Hanım
Mehmed Atıf Bey Efendi
Şeref Hanım
Seyyid Abdurrahman Nafız Paşa
Yağlıkçıcızâde Ahmed Efendi (Bursa Evkaf Müdürü)
Mehmed Kamil Bey (İkinci Belediye Dairesi Müdürü Mustafa Bey’’in oğlu)
Şerife Münire Hanım
Emine Neyire Hanım
Fatma Zahide Hanım
Zeliha Hanım
Hadice Hanım
Süleyman Kamil Bey
Mehmet Salih Dede (Dergâh meydancısı ve yöneticisi)
Olmuşdu bundan akdem virân bu asitâne
Tecdîdi oldu mülhem kalb-i şeh-i cihane
Dergâh-ı Mürşid-i Rûm olsun mu lâne-i bûm
Etmişti çerh-i meş’ûm mürgâne aşiyâne
Mollaya hürmet etti tevsie himmet etti
Hakkâ kerâmet etti ol hüsrev-i yegâne
Mahmud Hân-ı agâh yani halifetullah
Devrinde bunca dergâh fetholdu aşikâne
Tevs-i mülk-i devlet etmektir anda hikmet
Zira hümây-ı himmet ahdında bulda lane
Aldı semâğzenler meydanını erenler
Pervâne der görenler döndükçe yâne yâne
Hurşîd kaldı bîtab yandı yanında mehtâb
Kandil-i bâb ü mihrâb fer verdi farkdâne
Şems anda mevlevîdir tennûre pertevidir
Bir sırr-ı mânevîdir kim çıkmış asmâne
Bahre dönüb bu meydan mevc urdu mağz-ı Kur’an
Daldı niheng-i irfân deryây-ı bigirâne
Mıtrıb çalub nevây-ı yâd ile kutb-ı nâyı
Peyveste kıl duây-ı âmin kudsiyâne
Döndükçe çerh-i gerdân dönsün anınla devrân
Mahzar olub o hâkan eltâf-ı müsteâne
Envâr-ı Şems-i Tebriz tarihim etdi lebrîz
Devr-i Semâya döndü bâb-ı semâğhâne