Mevlâna Museum

The Mevlâna Museum in Konya, Turkey, is dedicated to the life and works of the Persian Sufi mystic and poet Mevlâna Rumi. It houses his tomb, a specialized library with over 4,000 manuscripts, and various artifacts related to the Mevlevi Order.

Planning your visit

Rumi died in Konya in 1273, and his tomb beneath a fluted turquoise dome has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. The complex was the lodge of the Mevlevi order he inspired — the whirling dervishes, whose sema ceremony turns rotation into a form of prayer — until Atatürk closed the Sufi orders in 1925 and converted the buildings into a museum the following year.

That status remains ambiguous in practice. It is officially a museum, and visitors buy tickets, but most of the people inside are there to pray, and the atmosphere is devotional rather than curatorial. Head covering for women and modest dress are expected.

The collection includes Rumi's tomb and those of his family and successors, a library of over 4,000 manuscripts, illuminated Qurans, dervish clothing, musical instruments, and the reconstructed cells of the lodge.

Konya is a conservative city and a substantial pilgrimage destination. Bookable options include full-day tours from Cappadocia. Allow ninety minutes. Current availability is listed below.