Mevlevihane

Central Anatolia


Turn left on GOP Bulvarı just before Latifoğlu Konağı and cross the canal to get to this restored dervish lodge with its museum to all things dervish, built in 1613 by Muslu Ağa, vizier to Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17). One of the most tranquil corners of Tokat, the building is set inside a small garden compound in a neighbourhood of cobbled streets and Ottoman houses buckling under the weight of years.

The exhibits inside include metalwork, illustrated Korans and prayer carpets gathered from mosques throughout the region. The semahane (where whirling ceremonies were held) is upstairs. The room contains an interesting collection of dervish paraphernalia, but the effect is unfortunately tarnished by the tacky mannequins illustrating the sema (whirling ceremony).

Follow the garden path round to the back of the building to get to Muslu Ağa Köşkü, which the vizier used as his family residence.

Just outside, back across the canal, is Tokat's Ottoman Clock Tower; the numbers on its faces are in Arabic.


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