Whirling Dervishes live show and exhibition

Place: Istanbul

Duration: up to 1 hour

Availability: Daily

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See the awe-inspiring traditional Sema ceremony that dates back over 800 years
Step into a restored Ottoman Turkish bath
Learn the fascinating history behind this mystical Sufi ritual

What to expect

Near the mighty Hagia Sophia Basilica and the magnificent Topkapi Palace, Hodjapasha Cultural Center is a delightful piece of the city’s striking cultural mosaic. Transformed from a large 15th-century hamam (Turkish bath), it now welcomes visitors under its high dome ceilings to showcase some of the country’s best traditions.

Watch the mystical ritual of the Mevlevi Order, whose whirling dance has been declared a UNESCO Heritage of Humanity. The Sema ceremony is a journey through man’s spiritual ascent to “perfection” through mind and love—a truly unmissable and astonishing experience of music and moves.

The exhibition features information displays about dervishes and their ceremony, objects belonging to the world of dervishes such as clothing, musical instruments and personal tools and books. Interactive Rumi poems and sufi music samples, hyperrealist style dervish statues and video shows are part of this unique exhibition.

Tickets cannot be amended or cancelled once booked
Children under 7 years of age are not allowed
Photography is not allowed
Please be available at the theater 30 minutes before the show time
Late comers are only allowed to enter the sema session during the first 10 minutes to ensure that the ceremony isn't interrupted. Visitors who arrive later than 15 minutes after the start of the show will not be able to enter and will not be refunded
The theater is not suitable for wheelchairs