KÜTAHYA MEVLEVÎLİĞİ: MEVLEVÎ KÜLTÜRÜNÜN MERKEZLERİNDEN BİRİ OLARAK KÜTAHYA

Kütahyan Mevlevism: Kütahya as a Centre of Mevlevi Culture

Mevlevism is a sufi movement which has deep influences on Anatolian people since its inception. With its all embracing warm teaching, its etiquette and rules of conduct, its institutions, and its influences at different levels of society Mevlevism is one of the most important sources of Turkish Culture that brings people together around Islam’s universal and humanist values. The purpose of this article is to examine an important centre of Mevlevism, Kütahyan Mevlevism, its urban character from the inception and its influences on the formation of urban cultural identity with reference to Ihtifalci Mehmed Ziya’s book, “Bursa’dan Konya’ya Seyahat”, (A Journey from Bursa to Konya) which contains valuable information on Kütahyan Mevlevism