Changing features of the concept of pilgrimage: the example of the Mevlana's museum in Konya

Authors

• Nilay Hosta Middle East Technical University
• Birsen Limon Selcuk University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67367

Keywords:

Pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Islam, Voyages and travels, Mecca (Saudi Arabia), Globalization, Tourist trade, Faith, Consumption (Economics), Sufism, Mysticism -- Islam, Turkey, Museums, Mevleviyeh

Abstract

Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi was a philosopher who influenced our era with his ‘humanist’ thoughts, his invitation towards everybody to friendship and brotherhood and his ideas about love and humanism. The museum, opened in his name in 1926 in Konya, Turkey, has been converted into a special place, describing Mevlevi’s way of life, telling the history of the Mevlana Dervish lodge and exhibiting related works with religious historical values. This important Museum, attracting many visitors from all over the world, including Turkey, represents unique examples both in architecture and genuine works of arts from Seljuk and the Ottoman period.Today faith tourism, emerging as a business sector, due to the increasing number of travelling people everyday, fulfils the space of the religious obligations related to travelling and also shows itself in religious aspects, not only pertaining to the major dimensions of a religion, but also by affecting all other religion-related rituals. The Mevlana Museum has become one of the places affected by the faith tourism. It has turned into an economic resource and become an important place for advertising Turkey, having visitors any time of year.