Kartal Cemevi

The Kartal Cemevi is an Alevi assembly and prayer house (cemevi) in Kartal district on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is among the largest buildings of its kind in the metropolis, where around 65 cemevis exist. In the cem, the central Alevi liturgy, men and women sit together in a circle around the dede, the spiritual leader; the service is accompanied by the saz long-necked lute and the ritual semah dance. Cemevis are not officially recognized as houses of worship in Turkey, which keeps their legal status a persistent political issue. The Kartal Cemevi also functions as a cultural center with library, funeral hall and event space for the district's Alevi community.