Konya is a city identified with the world famous philosopher Mevlana, it is one of the first inhabited cities in the history of mankind, and still contains traces of many ancient civilisations which gives it the atmosphere of a museum city. Because of its locations in the middle of the barren Anatolian steppe, it used to be one of the most important trading centres on the Silk Road. The fertile land around the city means Konya is also the heart of Turkey’s grain industry, with farming a major industry.
Steeped in tradition, it is one of the most conservative and religious places in the country, and best known as the adopted home of Celaleddin Rumi, the Sufic mystic who founded the Whirling Dervish sect. Today it is still a centre of Sufic practice and teaching. Every year during the first half of December, a ceremony is held in commemoration of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, with the controlled, trance-like turning or sema of the white-robed men creating a fascinating performance for the viewer.
Today, Konya is one of Turkey’s major industrial cities, one of the rapidly growing “Anatolian tigers” of Turkey’s emerging industrial heartland. Traditionally Konya lay at the heart of Turkey’s rich farming ‘bread basket’, but these days light industry and pilgrimage tourism are at least as important. With its orchards, gardens, and monuments, modern Konya attracts a growing tourist trade. Its association with the Dervishes makes it a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Christian monuments include the old church of Amphilochius inside the city and several shrines nearby.
- Esrefoglu Mosque:
Eşrefoğlu Mosque is the only wooden mosque where several decorative techniques of stone, brick, ceramics and painting were used together.
It is still a mystery how the wooden portions of the mosque, built in 1299, lasted until today without decay Eşrefoğlu Mosque, built in 1299 in the Beyşehir district of the central Anatolian province of Konya, is an architectural mystery.
How the wooden parts of the mosque survived until today without decay has baffled scientists. The seven-century-old mosque has a special place in Turkish architecture since it is the only wooden mosque where several decorative techniques of stone, brick, ceramics and painting were used together.
Built by Eşrefoğlu Süleyman Bay in 1297-1299, Eşrefoğlu Mosque is known as the biggest flat-ceiling mosque placed on wooden pillars, the Anatolia news agency reported. The historical building is still open to worship and is considered a “Turkish museum made of wood” thanks to its superior handicraft of wood and ceramics.
Eşrefoğlu Mosque, a unique example of Islamic architecture, is also noteworthy for its wooden pillars as well as ornaments and fresco paintings on the ceiling.
- Mevlana Museum:
Mevlana Museum, incredible, social complex is located on Konya. It is famous for Mevlana Mausoleum belonging to well known great dervish, poet and pioneer of the Islamic mysticism, Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi. Also, this magnificent structure includes many sections such as outdoors, Dervish Cells, Kitchen, Yard, Mosque, Library, Chant Room, Water-tank with a fountain, Semahane and Çerag Door.
At the beginning, this splendid complex was a rose garden surrogated a dervish lodge which was given as a present to Sultânül-Ulemâ Bâhaeddin, the father of Mevlana, by Sultan Aladdin Keykubat in the Seljuk Period.
Afterwards, there was added the mausoleum primarily including the graves of Mevlana’s father, Mevlana and his other family members here. Additionally, in 1926 the place was turned into a museum (today’s Mevlana Museum).
The brilliant and huge museum covers approximately 18.000 m2 area. Also, that miraculous mausoleum also called ‘’Kubbe-i Hadra’’ (Green Dome in English) was placed on four special pillars. Built by great architect Bedrettin Tebrizi, the tomb was furnished with the fascinating green tiles which is the main reason why it was named as ‘’Green’’.
Today, Mevlana Museum set place various parts which grabs the visitors with its mystic and fantastic atmosphere.
- Sultanhan Caravansarai:
In the middle of the flat, flat plain between Konya and Aksaray, at a lonely point on the ancient Silk Road, Seljuk Turkish Sultan Alaettin Keykubad I built a caravanserai, or caravan way-station between 1229 and 1236.
It was named, appropriately, the Sultan Han (hanmeaning caravanserai).
This truck-stop-for-camels was no doubt impressive, but it was in 1278 after a fire had damaged the original building that the great caravanserai took its present shape. It is the largest Seljuk caravanserai in Turkey, andwell worth a stop to see if you are traveling between Aksaray (or Cappadocia) and Konya.
In the last half-century, the little village that grew up around the Sultan Han has grown into a town(Sultanhanı) with basic services such as shops, fuel stations, restaurants, tea houses, etc.
The Sultan Han is a prime example of the Seljuk Turkish caravanserai with its lofty, elaborately-worked portalframed by utterly plain but massive walls; its stone-paved courtyard surrounded with rooms that served as treasury, refectory, hamam, repair shops and sleeping quarters.
The design, as always, is elegant in its simplicity. The Sultan Han has been repaired and restored numerous times in its eight centuries of existence, most recently within the past half century.
- Historical Areas:
Konya is one of the first settlements in world history. Located in the south of Central Anatolia, the city was the capital of the Seljuk Empire between 1097 and 1277. Konya, home to many Islamic elders, is a city identified with the famous Islamic scholar Mevlana.
Konya, which has many historical, cultural and natural treasures and is an enormous settlement and trade city throughout history, is located on the historical Silk Road. Konya is a tourism city with its museums, mosques, monuments, inns and vaults.
- Mevlana Whirling Dervishes:
If you want to understand the enchanted spirit of Konya and touch it more closely, you should definitely attend the whirling dervishes. The whirling dervishes are also held several days a week for free. For a few hours, try to find yourself in this magical atmosphere and get rid of everything that is bad. At the end of the show, you will feel like a bird and find peace.
- Food & Drink:
Local restaurants will variegate your vacations; restaurants of local cuisine are highly in demand among guests of Konya. Literally at every turn there are budget restaurants and small stalls, which offer guests to enjoy fresh kebabs, vegetable salads and meat cooked on the grill. The traditional cuisine of Konya is not much different from the classical Turkish. It is based on meat dishes, various snacks, vegetable dishes, and amazing oriental sweets. One of the main everyday dishes for locals is kebab, which is prepared in dozens of ways.
- Shopping:
Konya is famous for its colorful markets, and Kapali Carsi is among the most interesting ones. Looking through its rows one can find the most popular national goods, including spices and popular Turkish sweets, luxury carpets and fabrics, handmade jewelry, as well as inexpensive souvenirs. Besides stalls, on the market, there are several small cafes whose guests are offered fragrant Turkish coffee and the most popular national food.
Beside that, shopping fans can visit first-class malls and markets, the historic city is famous for the variety of its unique products.
- Hot Natural Springs:
The hot springs in Konya are frequently preferred by those who want to relieve the tiredness of the year and find peace in the healing waters. All seasons of the year, especially attracted by the domestic tourists, hot springs also offer visitors the opportunity to be surrounded by nature and spend a quiet holiday.
- Tirit:
Tirit is the name given to a dish made by placing fried or stale bread in broth. Goose, duck, chicken, cow, mutton varieties are seen. Different meats can also be used depending on the region.
- Meat Loaf (Pita):
The mutton, onion, tomato and pepper are thoroughly mixed and spread over the dough, which is opened longitudinally, and cooked in the bread oven. It’s like a pita in shape.
- Kiln Kebab:
This kebab is cooked in metal basins, in melted tail oil. It is soft and abundant in oil. In a real bakery kebab shop, there are no cutlery on the tables, and they are not eaten with a fork and a knife.
- Okra Soup:
Okra is a delicious soup made by cooking together products such as meat, tail oil, tomatoes, onions.
- Mevlana Candy:
It is made from sugar and lemon salt. It is called Konya sugar and Mevlana sugar. Cocoa, flavored, lemon varieties are available.
