KONYA

Konya was one of the first inhabited cities in the world and to this day, it still contains traces of many ancient civilizations that have earned it the nickname of a museum city. Its location in the middle of the barren Anatolian plains is significant because it was a major stopping point on the ancient and exotic Silk Road. Spice and cotton traders traveling from the Middle East to Europe used to stop there overnight in one of the many stone caravansaries of which a few can be seen today.

The main reason for anyone to visit is to see the shrine of the famous poet, philosopher, and ancient Sufi master called Rumi. Even today, the wisdom of this man who lived in the 13th century has earned him a place as one of the world’s bestselling poets.

Who was Rumi?

Also known as Mevlâna, Rumi was born in ancient Persia but spent much time traveling before arriving in the city of Konya. His words were carefully thought out before speaking, allowing him to practise patience, kindness and positivity with neighbours, friends and family.

This earned him a position as a highly respected member of society and many would seek his advice and help when facing difficulty in life. He also believed in the practises of meditation. Upon his death, a shrine was built to hold his body and the Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes was formed.

Quote by Rumi - “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

Watch the Whirling Dervish Show

On the 17th of December every year, the whirling dervishes commemorate the death of Rumi and this city comes alive with hotel accommodation becoming fully booked up. Throughout the rest of the year, they also invite people to watch them perform the Sema, which is the main ritual of spinning around, with an arm pointed to heaven and the aim is to achieve a perfect state of mind and be closer to god.

The Konya Alaeddin Mosque was constructed between the 12th and 13th century. It is in perfectly preserved condition and is a major landmark of the city. It was originally a Christian basilica but was converted in 1080 when Seljuk Turks captured the city. The grounds hold the gravestones of a number of sultans of the Seljuk dynasty.

Konya Archaeological Museum opened in 1962 and has many artefacts from civilization up to the Byzantine era. They include Greek artefacts and sarcophagus from Roman times.

Konya is also well known for its traditional carpets, made painstaking by hand for many months by local women. They first came to the attention of the traveller Marco Polo when he said, “they are the most beautiful carpets I have ever seen”. Carpets shops are situated in the city however we advise you take your guide with you to ensure you are buying an authentic and genuine carpet.

We recommend…

A trip to Konya is ideally combined with the neighbouring, lunar landscape region of Cappadocia. We feature it on our “Magic of Turkey” tour covering 6 days and 5 nights.