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Türkiye's green dome housing Rumi's legacy reopens to public

After an extensive three-year restoration, Türkiye's Mevlana Museum's "Green Dome" reopens, revealing its original Anatolian Seljuk brickwork and traditional turquoise tiles.

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As a result of evaluations made by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Scientific Committee, work to restore the dome's tiles in a traditional style began in 2020, marking the most comprehensive restoration effort since 1960. / Photo: AA

The iconic symbol of the Mevlana Museum, Türkiye's most visited museum, the Kubbe-i Hadra, or the "Green Dome," has reopened after three years and three months of restoration work.

The tomb of the 13th-century Sufi master and poet Jalaladdin Rumi is housed within the Mevlana Museum, which attracted over 1.6 million visitors in the first seven months of 2023.

The green dome, which commenced construction a year after the passing of Mevlana on December 17, 1273, was given its present shape during the reign of Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire and consisted of 16 sliced cones adorned with turquoise tiles.

With its present form dating back to 1396, it had undergone various restoration efforts in 1698, 1798, 1816, 1835, 1912, 1949, and 1964. However, in June 2020, it underwent its most comprehensive restoration. This process removed worn and fallen tiles, revealing the original brick dome constructed during the Anatolian Seljuk period.

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Between the tiles of the green dome and the underlying brick dome, approximately 100 tons of added weight, such as concrete and iron, were cleared, as it reached thicknesses of 15 to 18 centimetres at certain points.

The Scientific Committee, based on ceramic samples from 1816 and 1835 found in the museum's archives, decided to reproduce the turquoise-toned tiles using the traditional Iznik underglaze technique. These stone tiles, produced using the Iznik-style slip technique, were handmade in Konya for the first time since 1396.

Following about 1.5 years of extensive work, the dome's covering was removed, and the dismantling of scaffolding began.

Local and foreign visitors attending the 748th Commemoration Ceremony of Jalaladdin Rumi witnessed the dome being revealed during this period. However, shortly after its reopening in December 2021, the Green Dome faced the need for further restoration due to tile damages and deformations.

Due to these unfavourable conditions and before the scaffolding was removed, the Scientific Committee decided to remove the existing tiles on the dome once again. The scaffolding supported the construction and was also removed from the uncovered green dome.

Approximately 8,500 ceramic pieces produced locally were meticulously restored using Khorasan mortar.

Konya locals and visitors visiting Mevlana now celebrate the joy of witnessing the iconic dome's renewed glory.