AKŞEMSETTİN TÜRBESİvisitor guide.

Mentor to Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, spiritual conqueror of Istanbul, and illustrious scholar of Islam Akşemseddin passed away in 1459 AD, following which his monumental tomb was erected by Sultan Mehmed II in 864 AH / 1464 AD. Constructed entirely of cut ashlar stone, the hexagonal tomb is roofed by a dome. Rectangular windows set within pointed-arched niches pierce each facade of the perimeter walls. The upper tier windows feature pointed arches with ornamental plaster grilles. In the northeast corner, a pointed-arched niche frames the main entrance portal bearing a construction inscription on its pediment. Inside the tomb are cenotaphs of Akşemseddin and his sons. Akşemseddin's walnut wood cenotaph, embellished with delicate relief calligraphy, represents an exquisite masterpiece of Ottoman wood carving. Akşemseddin found spiritual enlightenment under the renowned saint Haji Bayram-i Veli. He stands foremost among the spiritual guides on the path to the blessed conquest of Istanbul. Akşemseddin was the spiritual conqueror of Istanbul, a profound scholar, an expert physician, a great spiritual saint, and a versatile Turkish polymath. His original name was Muhammad Shams al-Din bin Hamza, known by the honorific Akşeyh. Descended from the great spiritual master Shihab al-Din Suhrawardi, his noble ancestry traces back to Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). Born in Damascus in 1390 (792 AH), he memorized the Holy Quran at an early age and traveled to Anatolia with his father at age seven, settling in Kavak (Samsun). Following the death of his father, himself a venerable scholar and saint, Akşemseddin continued his extensive studies, mastering religious jurisprudence and medicine before becoming a professor (müderris) at Osmancık Madrasa. Devoting designated hours to teaching and remaining time to spiritual purification and divine contemplation in piety, knowledgeable companions advised him to seek the spiritual mentorship of the great saint Haji Bayram-i Veli. Heeding these recommendations to ascend in Sufism, Akşemseddin resigned his teaching post and traveled to Ankara. When asked how he knew the exact hour of Istanbul's conquest, he replied: 'Together with my spiritual brother Khidr, we deduced the hour of conquest through esoteric knowledge (ilm-i ladunni). On the day the fortress fell, I saw Khidr entering the battlements accompanied by a company of saints; after the fortress was conquered, I saw brother Khidr seated upon the fortress walls.' DOWNLOAD MUSEUM BROCHURE NEARBY MUSEUMS BOLU MUSEUM