Konya

It is located on the Central Anatolian plateau. The name of the city in the Scythian/ Galatian language is Kawawana, meaning Ihe country where sheep (or goats) are bred", and from the fertile lands it appears that sheep, cows and lambs were raised in the area, The name of the city which was situated at the border Lycaonia-Galatia later became Ikonia. The Hatti and Galatian tribes included in the Etruscan tribes who moved southwards from the Balkans and via Caucasia circa 3000 B.C., settled down in Central Anatolia. According to Eflatun Pmar rock-carvings 40 km to the west of Konya and the prehistoric remains found on the Hill of Alaaddin in the city centre, it is presumed that the area was an old settlement place. The Hill of Alaaddin was essentially a prehistoric mound, raised with the piling of earth and stone upon it at various times. The area was annexed to the Hittite Empire circa 1400 B.C. and subsequently brought under the rules of Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Seleucids, Kingdom of Pergamum, Romans and. after the disintegration of the Roman empire, Byzantines. Notwithstanding that Turks came to the area for some time in 1069 the main Turkish sovereignty began in 1071. In 1097 Anatolian Seljuk State was founded, with Konya proclaimed as the capital. Konya which experienced its period of prosperity during this time was later brought under the jurisdictions of the Karamanoglu Turkomans followed by the Ottoman State in 1512. The most important personage of Konya is the worldwide famous "Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi". Mevlana who taught in Medrese established "the Mevlevi Order Sufi Philosophy". According to this, besides the imperative prayer to God, the necessity of whirling prayer is also emphasized. In the faith of Mevlevi Order, §eb-i Aruz rituals are performed in Konya every year. The essence of Mevlana's philosophy can be explained as "Still come whoever you may be", According to the Mevlevi Order which foregrounds love for humankind and brotherhood, a person should either "appear as he is, or be as he appears." The Museum of Mevlana is essentially a turbe (tomb) and a dervish convent housing the coffins of Mevlana and his family. The dome of the dervish convent is embellished with green coloured tiles. The works belonging to the Seljuk and Ottoman eras are displayed here. The museum, which is in the form of a complex, accommodates a mesjid, whirling conventicle, chambers of dervishes, carpet and fabric section, ethnographic works of art. epitaphs and the tombstones of Mevlevis. Immediately adjacenl to the museum is the Selimiye Mosque of the Ottoman architectural style ordered to be built by Sultan Selim II. The other museums in the city are the Museum of Monumental Tombs in Sircali Medrese, Ethnographic Museum, Wooden Works of Art Museum and Koyunoglu Museum. Constructed on the Hill of Alaaddin, under the order of Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, in 1221 is the Alaaddin Mosque of which the Mimber (pulpit) is adorned with tiles. Karatay Medrese is located to the south of the Hill of Alaaddin and was constructed by Vizier Karatay in 1251. The dome of the medrese consisting of various sections is laid with blue and black tiles on the inner side. Its main gate presents one of the most beautiful examples of the Seljuk art of stone-working. Sahip Ata Mosque and Adjacent Complex of Buildings, ince Minare (Thin Minaret) Mosque, iplikgi Mosque, Aziziye Mosque and Kapi (Gate) Mosque are the other mosques in the city. Built in the area are the Binbir (One Thousand and One) Church in Karadag where the remains of the church dating from the Byzantine era lie, Kubadabat Palace on the waterside of the Lake Bey^ehir. Bey§ehir Castle and E§refoglu Mosque, which is the oldest wooden mosque in Anatolia, Karaman Castie in Karaman, Karamanoglu ibrahim Bey Kulliye. Horozlu lnnr Zazadin Inn and the Turbe of Hodja Nasreddin. the worldwide famed satire master who died in 1248. Konya is wellknown today for its Mevlana bonbons, firm (oven-cooked) kebab, meat bread, wooden handicrafts and Ladik carpets.