Why is this mosque called Şahidi Camii? You might wonder as you stand before its majestic facade. Let me tell you. The Şahidi Camii has a rich history intertwined with the Mevlevi Order, those whirling dervishes seeking spiritual enlightenment. This mosque, the second oldest in Muğla, wasn’t always a mosque. It started its life as a Mevlevihane, a lodge for the Mevlevi Order, built in 1390 by Şeyh Seyyid Kemaleddin. Imagine the rhythmic chanting and the mesmerizing whirl of the dervishes echoing within these walls. In 1450, under Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s rule, it continued its service as a Mevlevihane. The mosque we see today, however, owes its existence to Hacı Osman Ağa who renovated and expanded the aging lodge in 1848. It was then that it received its current name, Şahidi Camii, in honor of Şahidi İbrahim Dede, a revered Mevlevi sheikh who once led prayers here. His tomb, along with his father’s, Hudai, rests peacefully in the mosque’s graveyard. Look around! You’ll notice a unique feature inside. The central area of the mosque, where the dervishes once performed their whirling rituals, remains preserved, a silent testament to the building’s spiritual past. The Şahidi Camii stands as a testament to Muğla’s rich history, a place where faith and architecture intertwine to tell a captivating story.
Şahidi Camii
Discover cities like never before.
Enjoy over self-guided city exploration with our app ‘Explory’. Learn all about the history and discover hidden more than 500.000 hidden gems, that only locals know about. Build custom tours, find nearby places, and start exploring instantly.
More Places in Muğla
Şeyh Camii
Consider the year 1565 when \u015eeyh Bedrettin decided to build a mosque. This is the \u015eeyh Camii in Mu\u011fla. It
Şeyh Mahallesi
The warm scent of herbs and spices wafts through the air, a reminder of bustling kitchens and warm afternoons spent
Muğla Meslek Yüksekokulu
Did you know Muğla Meslek Yüksekokulu started small but grew fast? It began in 1989. It now hosts about 5200
Emir Beyazıt Camii
Could you imagine a neighborhood growing around a sacred space? That’s the story of Emir Beyazıt Camii in Muğla. This
Emirbeyazıt Mahallesi
Has anyone ever told you about the heart of Menteşe? Emirbeyazıt Mahallesi pulses with life in Muğla, Turkey. It’s not
Muslihittin
What secrets does a stork know, nesting atop a mosque’s dome? Here in Muslihittin, a suburb of Muğla, the Şeyh