Friday, 29 March 2024
A Mevlevi Lodge in Sarajevo

A Mevlevi Lodge in Sarajevo

Interview / İBRAHİM BÜYÜKEKEN

The historical Mevlevi Lodge which was built in 1462 by Isabey, the son of Ishak, the banner lord of Bosnia, was rebuilt by Selçuklu Municipality and TIKA in 2012. It became one of the moral centres of Bosnia.

As Bosnia-Herzegovina was under the rule of Ottomans for 500 years, the members of mevleviyeh and bektashism had a great role in spreading Islam. Dervishes settled in the area by Ottomans had a great role in islamising the area in time. For 500 years, a lot of Mevlevi Lodges were built in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sarajevo became a centre of mevleviyeh and Mostar became a centre of bektashism. The Mevlevi Lodge in Sarajevo became a flag-bearer for Islam in Bosnia for 400 years.

DESTROYED IN YUGOSLAVIA

Some Mevlevi Lodges built during the Ottomans were either ruined or destroyed in the occupation phase by Australia and by Yugoslavia. The historical Mevlevi Lodge which was built in 1462 by Isabey, the son of Ishak, the banner lord of Bosnia, was rebuilt by Selçuklu Municipality and TIKA in 2012. It became one of the moral centres of Bosnia.

A MORAL CENTRE IN BOSNIA

The historical building which has been serving as a Mevlevi lodge for 10 years has become one of the moral centres of Bosnia. The building was first constructed in 1462. In the 1600s it was destroyed and rebuilt in 1781. Within the project of “twin municipality” between Selçuklu Municipality and Sarajevo Stari Grad Municipality, the historical Mevlevi Lodge was rebuilt again and the project was completed in such a short time with TIKA as the project coordinator. The Sarajevo Mevlevi Lodge, built in 1462 by Isabey, the son of Ishak, the banner lord, is also known as Isabey Zawiyah. The lodge served for religious, cultural and social purposes for many years and it was located in Bentbaşı (Bembaşa) region which was near Sarajevo National Library.

BUILT IN COOPERATION WITH SELÇUKLU MUNICIPALITY AND TİKA

Evliya Çelebi visited Sarajevo in 1659 and he described the lodge and its surrounding area as a heaven. During the war between Ottomans and Austria (1683-1699), like many other buildings in the city, the lodge was also mainly destroyed by the fire of the Habsburg army under the command of Prince Eugene in 1697. It was rebuilt and a mosque was added to the building in 1781 by the Mayor of Bosnia, Vecihi Pasha. In 1957 the building was destroyed again, during the Yugoslavian era. The lodge was rebuilt again in cooperation with Selçuklu Municipality and TIKA within the project. Ahmet Davutoğlu, the former prime minister, Bakir İzzetbegoviç, the president of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Uğur İbrahim Altay, the former mayor of Selçuklu Municipality and a great number of Bosnians attended the opening ceremony.


 A CONTINUOUS TRADITION

While expressing that Turkey is a great power in the world in many aspects, Bakir İzzetbegoviç, the Bosnian Presidency member of Bosnia and Herzegovina, also stated that Turkey’s effect has been growing both in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in other countries in the region. Sarajevo Mevlevi lodge building will serve as the Balkans Mevlana Research Centre by the Hacımuyaga Foundation, which was established to continue the legacy of Hacı Hafız Halid Hacımuliç Efendi, who is the last link that continues the tradition of Mesnevihanism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will host artistic and cultural events in order to research Islamic culture and art, particularly Mevlevi culture.