The revival of the historic Edirne Mevlevi Lodge, which served Edirne and the Balkans for nearly 500 years during the Ottoman era, has been completed in northwestern Türkiye, with the historic site set to reopen in October.
The restoration project was launched in 2024 on the instructions of Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer, with historical sources and old photographs examined to ensure the structure was reconstructed in accordance with its original form.
A foundation excavation was conducted, and traces uncovered at the site were used to prepare survey, restitution and restoration projects. Construction was subsequently carried out by the Edirne Governorship Environmental Protection Foundation.
Landscaping and environmental works around the historic lodge are also nearing completion. The site is scheduled to open in the second week of October.
Historical sources indicate that the wooden Mevlevi Lodge was built by Sultan Murad II in the 15th century within the Muradiye Mosque complex, north of the mosque.
The lodge consisted of several sections, including dervish lodge buildings, a harem, a semahane where the whirling ceremony was performed, rooms for dervishes and a library.
The complex also included an imaret, or soup kitchen, which provided meals for Mevlevi dervishes, students and guests. Bread was distributed daily to nearby homes, while rice and zerde, a traditional sweet rice dish, were served on Thursdays.
The Edirne Mevlevi Lodge was regarded as one of the important Mevlevi centers alongside those in Konya and Afyonkarahisar in central Türkiye. Historical records identify Celalettin Çelebi, the grandson of Mevlana, as its first postnişin, or head of the lodge.
The lodge was damaged in an earthquake in 1752 and repaired the following year. It underwent another renovation in 1909.
The lodge was used as a primary school for a period in 1925 before it was later demolished on the orders of General Kazım Dirik, the Inspector General of Thrace.
The completed revival project is expected to bring the historic Mevlevi center back into use while preserving its architectural and cultural heritage for future generations.
