Tekkes

Tekkes are Sufi lodges or monasteries used by members of Sufi orders (tariqas) as centers of spiritual practice, education, and social service. In the Ottoman Empire and in other Muslim regions, tekkes functioned as places where disciples gathered for dhikr (remembrance of God), instruction by a sheikh, communal meals, charitable work, and sometimes ritual music or dance associated with specific orders, such as the whirling dervish rites of the Mevlevi.

Architecturally, a tekke often included a prayer hall, living quarters for residents and guests, kitchens, a library, and sometimes the tombs (dargahs) of revered Sufi figures. Tekkes were organized around a particular tariqa and led by a sheikh who directed training, rituals, and the spiritual lineage of the lodge. They served as training centers for initiates and as social welfare institutions that provided lodging, education, and aid to the poor.

Geographically, tekkes were established throughout the Ottoman realm and in successor states, with many concentrated in Anatolia and the Balkan regions. Notable examples include the Galata Mevlevihanesi in Istanbul, a historic Mevlevi tekke, and the Hacı Bektaş Veli Complex in Hacıbektaş, associated with the Bektashi order.

From the 19th to early 20th century, secular reforms reduced or closed many tekkes. In Turkey, the 1920s abolition of religious orders led to the confiscation of tekke properties and the repurposing of sites as museums or cultural venues. In other regions, Sufi lodges persisted with varying legal recognition. Today, tekkes are studied as part of Sufi history and Ottoman social networks, illustrating the role of religious orders in education, charity, and cultural life.