Konya, Turkey

Konya, Turkey

Name of Konya means “City of Icons”, which is “Ikonian” in Greek language. The oldest settlement place around Konya is Çatalhöyük, which dates back B.C. 6500 years. There are Hittite and Phyrgia settlement places in Konya and surrounding. City, which enters under Persian rule in B.C. 546, is included into territories of respectively Alexander the great in B.C. 334 and Roman Empire in B.C. 133. City is exposed to Arabian invasions in A.D. 7th Century. It becomes the capital city of Anatolian Seljuks Empire in 1908. It is exposed to Mongol invasion in 1243. Anatolian Seljuks Empire goes out of existence in 1308. Region is ruled by Karamanoğulları Beylic. Konya is included into Ottoman lands during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1467. Konya lives its most prime period in 12th and 13th centuries under the rule of Anatolian Seljuks Empire and city furnished with many architectural structures. Alaeddin Mosque, whose construction is completed during reign of. I. Alaeddin Keykubat in 1221, and a tomb in which eight Seljuks sultans are buried, and Alaeddin Kiosk in the form of remains, are located on Alaeddin Hill. No remains of walls, surrounding the city, reach today. We see some reliefs and sculptures of these walls only in the museums. 1258 dated Sahip Ata Mosque, 1274 dated Seyh Sadreddin Konevi Mosque, 1156 dated Iplikci Mosque, 1230 dared Hatunite Mosque, 1242 dated Sircali Madrasah, 1251 dated Karatay Madrasah, 1258 dated Ince Minaret Madrasah; Selimiye Mosque, constructed in 1565 in Ottoman period are some of the other important architectural structures in the city. Valuable works are exhibited in Achaeological and Ethnographic Museums in the city. Moreover, Tile Arts Museum in Karatay Madrasah, Tomb Monuments Museum in Sırçalı Madrasah; Seljuks Period, Stone and Wooden Arts Museum in Ince Minaret Madrasah; Mevlana Museum and Home of Ataturk Culture Museum are among the other museums in Konya. The most important opus, located in Konya, is Mevlena Tmb, which is the symbol of Konya due to historical identity of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi’nin (1207-1273). Tomb is constructed in 1274 and its architect is Bedreddin Tebrizi. Tomb, Coated with fluted body and 16 sliced an edged cone, is located within a group of structures (complex), constructed in Seljuks and Ottoman period. Besides Mevlena Tomb, other sections such as Reading room, Semahane, Small Mosque, Dervish celles, Matbah, are located within the group of structures. Mevlana Dergah is turned into the musuem in 1927 and opened for public visits under the name of “Mevlana Museum”. Works related to Mevlana and Mevleviyeh; and Turkish-Islamic arts are exhibited in the museum.

Turkey Tours