Konya Travel Guide
Home of the Whirling Dervishes
- Ratings:
- Be the first to rate this.
-
Reviews:
-
Be the first to write a review
Konya sits high on the Anatolian steppe some 220km from Ankara and, as with so many of Turkey’s cities, is an ancient city occupied from at least Hittite times. The Romans named the city Iconium but it was during the Seljuk period that it rose to real prominence and fame. Today travellers visit Konya to see the Mevlana Museum, home to the Whirling Dervishes, and which, housed in the original sufi lodge, charts their history.
Whilst Konya can trace its history back to Hittite and Roman times the city grew to prominence during the Seljuk period (11th to 14th centuries). It was during the mid 13th century that saw the greatest architectural masterpieces commissioned and completed, including Konya’s iconic Alaeddin Mosque. Whilst people do visit the city to see this beautiful piece of work the city is best known as home to the Whirling Dervishes.
The dervishes were founded by the son of Celaleddin Rumi, better known as Mevlana, in the 13th century. A sufi (Islamic mystic) and important scholar and theologian Mevlana developed a philosophy of spiritual union and universal love. The ritualistic music and dance allows the dervish to enter an ecstatic state that would release him from the stresses of daily life.
Attractions in Konya
The principle attraction is the Mevlana Museum however visitors should also seek out the Alaeddin Mosque and Karatay Museum, housed in a 13th century meddressah or Islamic theological school and famous for its mosaics and ceramics. Most people also visit the Ince Minare or ‘thin minaret’.
Activities in Konya
Allow a full day in Konya to see its sites; explore independently or take a guided tour for more background to the sites of interest.
Relaxing
The summer months bring warmer weather and the several tea gardens around Alaeddin Tepesi are justifiably popular in what is unsurprisingly a religious city.
Getting Around
Konya is easily explored on foot.
Konya Reviews
Why not be the first and add your review below?
