Mysterious Gates of the Lodge

Mevlana Lodge, visited by hundreds of thousands of local and foreign tourists every year, has four gates. "Dervişan" gate, which you can pass from the side of Selimiye Mosque, "Hamusan" gate, which openes to Üçler Cemetery, "Çelebiyan" and "Küstahan" gates where tourists can go in to today.

Çelebiyan Gate

In its traditional functioning, the tomb has 4 doors. Çelebiyan is one of them. In the past, the section outside this door and the forward area were opened to a neighborhood where the houses of the people belonging to the Çelebi family and those who served in the lodge were located, so the entrance to the lodge was made through this door. For this reason, this door is called Çelebiyan Gate. At the top of the door, a monogram of Mahmud II is seen. Previously, these were removed and put into storage.

Küstahan Gate

Küstahan Gate is one of the 4 gates of the museum. It is known that this gate was re- discovered during the excavation and restoration work carried out in the 1990s. In the Mevlevi sect, those who want to enter this path and who take the ordeal are served for a thousand and one days. When there are irregular behaviors or issues that cannot be corrected despite some warnings during their services, these people are made to go away through the Küstahan Gate at dusk. So, this gate is called Küstahan Gate. Among the people, this gate was called the “Küstahlar” (insolent) Gate over time.

Dervişan Gate

Those who want to enter the Mevlevi order come through this door and submit their demands. This door is the main entrance of the lodge. There is the monogram of Sultan Mahmud II on the gate. There is a building inscription on which is stating that it was built by Murat III.

Gate of Silents (Hamûşan)

Those who entered the Dervisan Gate and were subjected to an ordeal for a thousand and one days, who were given the title of "Dede" (grandfather) and were assigned a cell, and who died after continuing their service here throughout their life, were sent off to their last journey through this gate. Their bodies are washed in the area in Matbah-ı Şerif and they are sent off to eternity in the Üçler Cemetery across from this door. That’s why this door is called ‘Gate of Silents’. Hamuş means silent in and Hamuşan means ‘silents’ in Persian. In the Mevlevi tradition, the word is not used. The place where the deceased are buried is called Hamuşan.