The Konya Panorama Museum takes its name from the dome-shaped panorama that depicts the social life of 13th-century Konya. It includes the sema ceremony performed by Hz. Mevlana in the bedesten.
The Konya Panorama Museum holds the distinction of being Turkey’s second completed full panorama museum and is the first and currently the only panoramic museum in Turkey that narrates the pivotal moments of Hz. Mevlana’s life. It was commissioned by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality and opened on December 7, 2017.
The museum showcases historical medreses, mosques, walls, soldiers, sultans, and statues of people from different nations. Together with these statues, Konya’s rich and cosmopolitan past is visually presented to the visitors. Additionally, on the lower floor of the museum, there are oil paintings that depict excerpts from Hz. Mevlana’s life, vividly portraying the turning points and significant moments of his life.
The main objective of the museum is to introduce the historical sites of Konya to its visitors and illustrate the impact of Hz. Mevlana and his family on both Konya and its people during the time the structures were built. It also emphasizes that Konya was an important Early Christianity center and, with the arrival of Hz. Mevlana, became a cosmopolitan city where Islam was embraced, and followers of different religions lived together peacefully.
The museum reflects the past related to Hz. Mevlana and Mevlevism, especially as a mirror of the 13th-century Seljuk period. Konya, the capital of the Anatolian Seljuk State, became one of the significant centers of knowledge and wisdom. The people who were educated in the medreses invited Hz. Mevlana’s father to Konya, turning the city into a center of knowledge. The fact that Hz. Mevlana’s father was known as the Sultan of Scholars, who spread the path of knowledge and wisdom, clearly demonstrates Seljuk’s intention to disseminate knowledge. The museum conveys the conditions of this period in history to the present day and provides visitors with an important historical perspective.
In the central open area, there are miniature replicas of numerous Mevlevihanes spread across Turkey and the Middle East.
The Konya Panorama Museum also features a library-café concept where visitors can enjoy their beverages while reading books.
The museum offers a visual feast of Konya’s cultural and historical heritage, highlights the significance of the Seljuk period, and provides visitors with a unique experience with its rich content related to Hz. Mevlana and Mevlevism. The Konya Panorama Museum not only allows visitors to experience the historical atmosphere of Konya but also helps them understand the thoughts and teachings of Hz. Mevlana. Being Turkey’s second full panorama museum, it contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage.