Museum of whirling dervishes
Not the most popular attraction in the capital, but definitely worth visiting if you are interested in the culture of Turkish Cypriots.
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Dervish Museum in Nicosia
Located just behind the Kyrenia Gate in the Ibrahim Pasha neighborhood of Nicosia, the Mevlevi Tekke is one of the most important historical and religious buildings on the island, although not widely known among mainstream tourists.
The building, specifically designed for gatherings of the Sufi brotherhood or Islamic mystics, served as a place of spiritual retreat (tekke) for the Mevlevi order and now operates as a museum.
History of Mevlevi Tekke
The Mevlevi Sufi order was founded in Konya, in present-day Turkey, by followers of the 13th-century Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and Islamic theologian Jalal ad-Din Rumi, also known as Mevlana.
His teachings emphasized the separation of the human soul from God during earthly life and the power of divine love that reunites it with infinity after death. Music and dance are expressions of this mutual love, which is why the Mevlevi followers became known as "whirling dervishes" for their famous practice of continuous spinning.
The current building, or "Mevlevihane," is believed to be an extended version of earlier tekkes known as the Arab Ahmed Pasha Tekke and the Ferhad Pasha Tekke, built in 1593 and 1607 respectively. According to other accounts, the Mevlevi Tekke was built from scratch in the early 17th century.
When tekkes were closed in Turkey in 1925 as part of Atatürk's reforms, some members of the Turkish Cypriot community called for the closure of tekkes in Cyprus as well. However, the British administration decided to leave the community alone, and since the Mevlevi order's center moved from Konya to Aleppo, it was decided to appoint a sheikh from Syria.
The first such sheikh was Muhammad Selim Dede from Damascus, appointed in 1933, who served until his death in 1953. After his death, the tekke ceased functioning in 1954, and the Mevlevi order in Cyprus officially disbanded in April 1956.
The Museum Today
After remaining closed for several years, the tekke was reopened in 1963 as the Turkish Cypriot Ethnographic Museum. On December 17, 2002, after extensive renovations, it was reopened as the Mevlana Museum on the anniversary of his death, or "union with the beloved," as it is known in Sufi tradition.
Today, visitors enter the Mevlevi Museum through an arched doorway with an Ottoman inscription welcoming them to the house of Mevlana. Beyond the entrance is a courtyard displaying exquisite carved Ottoman tombstones. These stones, crafted in the Ottoman style, were collected from various locations in Cyprus and mostly date back to the 18th century.
On the right is one of the preserved buildings open to visitors—the semahane, a hall used for the whirling ritual "sema," with a niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca.
A doorway next to this niche leads to a chamber housing the tombs of the Mevlevi order's sheikhs. In total, sixteen tombs rest under six domes. The walls display photographs of some of the sheikhs, manuscripts, and other artifacts, while the tombs themselves are covered with embroidered textiles.
A wooden balcony runs along the northern wall, where accompanying musicians once performed. Wooden ceiling beams rest on two square columns, and a row of arches divides the space into two sections. The first section houses an exhibition dedicated to Rumi's poem "Masnavi," as well as musical instruments and costumes worn by dervishes during their dances. The other section features the only preserved dervish cell, displaying kitchen utensils, a table, and other personal items.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mevlevi Tekke
When can you see the dervishes dance?
During regular hours, the museum operates solely as an exhibition. However, on December 17 each year, a ceremony featuring whirling dervishes is held. You can check the availability of tickets for the event on the Cyprus Foundations Administration website: evkaf.org.
How to get to the Dervish Museum in Nicosia?
You can find the museum's location on the map at the bottom of the text. Public transport is easy to use—all buses heading to Nicosia, as well as most city routes, pass near the museum. The stop is called Girne Kapısı. From there, it's a short walk toward the old town.
Where can you park near the Dervish Museum in Nicosia?
The most convenient parking is opposite the museum at the paid parking lot Samanbahçe Oto Parkı, located at these coordinates: 35.180627568201096, 33.361245010949915.
- Read more about other museums in Northern Cyprus.
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Author
Born and raised in Yekaterinburg, visited more than 40 countries, lived in the USA for some time, and in 2022, moved to Northern Cyprus. Education: Ural State University (now Ural Federal University), Faculty of Political Science and Sociology. Professional Experience: Since 2008, worked in the…
