💫 Mevlana Museum (Konya)

About This Sacred Site

The Mevlana Museum in Konya is the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, scholar, and founder of the Mevlevi Order of Whirling Dervishes. Rumi is one of the most widely read poets in the world and his message of universal love transcends religious boundaries. The museum's distinctive fluted turquoise dome covers his sarcophagus, which is draped in brocade and topped with an enormous turban. The complex includes the former Dervish lodge (tekke) where the sema (whirling prayer ceremony) was performed.

Key Facts

• •Rumi's poetry has made him one of the most-read poets in the world
• •The green-tiled dome over Rumi's tomb is Konya's most recognizable landmark
• •Over 3 million people visit annually, making it Turkey's most visited museum
• •The sema ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
• •Rumi's famous inscription: 'Come, come, whoever you are — even if you have broken your vows a thousand times'

Location

Coordinates: 37.8716, 32.5042