Haci Bektas Veli
He was born in 1209 in Nisabur city of Horasan and died in 1270 in Hacibektas. He was coeval of Mevlana. His grave is in Haci Bektas Veli Tomb of Hacibektas district. In some of the sources his birth and death dates are mentioned one or two years differently. On 73th century Haci Bektas Veli, came to Anatolia from Horasan, located on the east of todays’ Iran. He was grown up beside Ahmet Yesevi, the great Turkish philosopher, in Horasan, the city hosted many famous theologians and philosophers at those years. He was educated in philosophy, science and social sciences. The period that Haci Bektas Veli came to Anatolia befitted with the period on which Seljukian political unification started to collapse. During that period, Haci Bekta§ Veli traveled to each village of Anatolia and endeavored alot for Anatolians’ becoming Turkish and Muslim. His philosophy was established on tolerance and human love and in a short period he was accepted by the public. He found a school in Hacibektas district and gave education to many students. He has written many pieces and among them ‘Velayetname’ (authorization) is the most important one which reads his life and his conception. After 100-150 years later his death, his doctrine was systematized by Balim Sultan and these conceptions became the roots of a religious order, called as ‘Bektasilik’. Many thinkers and troubadours from this religious order came up during the time and among these Pir Sultan Abdal is the most well known one.
Haci Bektas Veli Mosque Complex
The Mosque Complex was constructed at the beginning of 13th century during Seljuk period. In the following centuries, various addings were done and the Mosque Complex reached out its shape of today. Now, the Mosque Complex serves as Haci Bektas Veli Museum. Haci Bektas Museum: The Museum was opened to visitors on 1964 after renovations; at the beginning the pieces from the locale were exhibited. On 1988, Archeological and Ethnographic Museum was opened on 1988 and some of the pieces from Haci Bektaq Museum was transfered to the new Museum. Today, in the Museum, you may only see work of art of Haci Bektas Veli. The Museum was formed around 3 courtyard. The first courtyard falls outside of today’s museum entrance. On the right side of this courtyard, Ugler Cesmesi (Fountain), which was constructed by Fevzi Baba on 1897 and on it Muhr-u Suleyman (stamp of Suleyman) was placed. Unfortunately stud farm, bakery, hostel, bath, wash house and toilet rooms, located in the first courtyard, were not able to reach today.
Beginning from the entrance of the museum, you may reach to the second courtyard by passing through Ugler Kapisi (Ugler Gates). The second courtyard was named Dergah Avlusu (Courtyard) and just on the right side there is Aslanh Cesme (Fountain). Successively, Asevi and Tekke Mosque follows the fountain. On the left side of the courtyard from the entrance you may visit Meydan Evi (House) and also in the middle of the courtyard there is a repository dated 1908. The entrance of the third courtyard is through Altilar Kapisi (Gate). The structure in the courtyard which welcomes you at the first sight is called Pir House and the Tomb of Haci Bektas Veli was located in this structure. Beside that there is a Cilehane (Trial House) and other Bektasi followers’graves were located in it. On the rigth side of Pir House due to the entrance there is Balim Sultan Tomb. Next to the Tomb, you may see the graves of various dervishes.