The Dervish Lodge Museum, also called the Antalya Mevlevihane Museum, is in Kaleiçi, Antalya’s old town. Its restored lodge explores the Mevlevi Sufi tradition through dervish robes, ceremonial musical instruments, manuscripts and household objects. The semahane, the room used for the dervishes’ ritual, retains its acoustic qualities. The complex also includes a hamam and the mausoleums of Zincirkıran Mehmet Bey and Nigar Hatun. Come to learn about Mevlevi culture, or check whether a music concert or Sufi dance performance is scheduled.
A lodge in Kaleiçi
The Dervish Lodge Museum, also known as the Antalya Mevlevihane Museum, is in Kaleiçi. The complex brings together a Mevlevihane, a hamam and the mausoleums of Zincirkıran Mehmet Bey and Nigar Hatun, mother of Sultan Korkut.
The lodge was restored in 2018. Accounts of its origins differ: one dates it to the Seljuk period in 1377, while another says Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad built it in 1255. It was used as a Mevlevihane from the 16th century and also served as a palace bath.
The semahane and its exhibits
The semahane is the central room where dervishes performed the sema, a ritual involving whirling. Its acoustic qualities remain part of the room’s character.
Exhibits include traditional dervish robes, musical instruments used in ceremonies, manuscripts and household items. Take time to look closely at the clothing and objects as you move through the displays; they offer a way to explore the tradition’s material and musical culture.
Concerts and performances
The museum may host classical Turkish music concerts and Sufi dance performances that draw on the sema ceremony. Check the schedule before your visit if you hope to attend one. Behave respectfully inside, and remove your shoes before entering.
Häufige Fragen
Where is the Dervish Lodge Museum?
It is in Kaleiçi, in Antalya. Its address is Selçuk, Selçuk Mah No:36, Muratpaşa.
What can you see inside the museum?
The exhibits include dervish robes, ceremonial musical instruments, manuscripts and household items. The complex also includes a hamam and the mausoleums of Zincirkıran Mehmet Bey and Nigar Hatun.
Are there performances at the museum?
Classical Turkish music concerts and Sufi dance performances may be scheduled. Check for upcoming events before you visit.
Do visitors need to remove their shoes?
Yes. Remove your shoes before entering, as a courtesy and in keeping with the museum’s tradition.
