Helvetiye Tekke
Statusi
Type of protection: Permanent protection Date of protection: 1101/55
Type of protection: Under termporarly protection Date of protection: 2010
Type of protection: Under termporarly protection Date of protection: 2011
Type of protection: Under termporarly protection Date of protection: 2012
Background
The Halvetiye Tekke is located in the Historical Centre of Prizren, within the old Saraçhane neighbourhood. The Tekke is a sacral Islamic building, belonging to the Halvetiye Order (deriving from the Arabic word halwet-lonedom). It got its name from its founder – the Great Piri OMARU’L-HALVET-IU (deceased in 1397/8 in Tabriz). The establishment of the Halvetiye Tekke in Prizren is linked to Sheyh Osman Baba. According to the records, it is assumed that he was from Vlesha, a village in the surroundings of Peshkopia town in Albania. He finished the medrese in Serez (Greece), where he decided to be part of the Halvetiye order. After finishing school, he served in the Kukli-Bey Mosque in Prizren. During his 2-3 years of work there, he was distinguished as a devoted believer, for his mental powers and wonderful skills. Hearsay tells that a descendant of Kukli-Bey had lost her son, and she was largely concerned. She had done everything in her power to find him, but could not do so. In one case, the desperate mother cried on the shoulder of Osman Baba. He consoled the lady, and promised her he would find her son, and he truly did; the son got back home, safe and sound. in a sign of tribute, she gave Osman Baba a two-floor house, which he transformed into a Tekke, known as “Asitane Saraçhane Tekesi”. This seems to have happened around 418-428 years before, although different years of establishment are mentioned, such as 1604, 1690, 1700, 1713. The Tekke building found in our time comes from 1835. Renovation and restoration works continued even further than 1999. The Tekke complex consists of: - Tekke (with several rooms) - Samahane – prayer room - Turbe – mausoleum of graves of the leaders (Sheyhs) - Yard paved in cobble stone, with a marble fountain with two springs - Residential building of Sheyh Hasan - Commercial premises The buildings are built in stone, adobe and wood, covered in roof tiles, and a decorated wood ceiling. The Tekke has a rectangular foundation, with a four-gutter roof with traditional roof tiles. The eastern side holds a vestibule, ornamented with wood carved columns. The Samahane (prayer room) represents a characteristic facility, covered in an eight-plane roof. The Samahane interior is decorated with ceramic plates, with floral motives and arabesques. Apart from the endowed interior, the Samahane also holds original elements of the Tekke, such as working tools and musical instruments. The yard is paved in cobble stone, with a water stream, coronated with a marble fountain of two springs, carved in special mastery. The building site around the Tekke and the Tekke itself contains a harmonic ensemble of buildings, which represent high architectural and compositional values. For several hundred years, the Halvetiye Tekke in Prizren has performed largely in serving basic principles of the Order, but also has contributed to education, upraising, language and culture.
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