Konya

Konya is Turkey’s most devout city — conservative, proud of it, and built around the legacy of Jalal ad-Din Rumi (Mevlana), the 13th-century Sufi mystic whose poetry has been translated into every major language and whose tomb draws four million visitors per year. It is also the former capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, and its historical centre has a density of 12th and 13th century architecture that makes it one of the most important Seljuk sites in the world.

The Mevlana Museum and Rumi’s Tomb

The turquoise-tiled dome of the Mevlana Museum is the defining image of Konya, visible from across the city. Inside is the tomb of Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273) — poet, mystic, founder of the Mevlevi Order of Sufis (the Whirling Dervishes) — and a museum of Sufi objects, manuscripts, and musical instruments.

The tomb itself is covered in gold-embroidered cloth. The surrounding chambers hold the tombs of other Mevlevi sheikhs and Rumi’s family. The atmosphere is one of genuine reverence — this is an active shrine and a museum simultaneously.

Practical: Open daily including Mondays (unlike most Turkish museums). Free entry. Headscarves required for women inside the mausoleum. Can be very crowded; arrive early. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours.

The Whirling Dervish Ceremony (Sema)

The sema is the Mevlevi ritual ceremony of music and turning meditation — the Whirling Dervishes. Practitioners in white robes and tall felt hats (sikke) turn continuously for up to an hour, arms extended, as a form of active meditation.

Konya options:
The Mevlana Cultural Centre holds official ceremonies on Saturday evenings (free, but arrive early — it fills up). A longer and more atmospheric ceremony is performed at the Aziziye Mosque compound some evenings. The full sema ceremony in December (Sheb-i Arus, the anniversary of Rumi’s death, December 17) draws visitors from across the world.

Seljuk Architecture

Konya was the Seljuk capital from 1097 to 1302 and the architecture from this period is the finest concentration of Seljuk work in Turkey.

Ince Minare Medrese (1264): A theological college with a spectacularly carved portal — bands of Quranic script and geometric ornament that demonstrate why Seljuk stonework is considered among the finest in the Islamic world. Now a Museum of Stone and Wood Crafts.

Karatay Medrese (1251): Another Seljuk college, with an interior dome completely covered in blue and black tiles. Now a Ceramics Museum. The dome interior alone justifies the entrance.

Alaeddin Mosque: The main Seljuk mosque on Alaeddin Hill, built between 1155 and 1220. The interior is cool, spacious, and calm — 42 antique columns of different styles and periods, a carved wooden pulpit.

Çatalhöyük

52km south of Konya, Çatalhöyük is one of the most important Neolithic settlements ever excavated — a city of 8,000 people living in mudbrick houses from 7500 to 5700 BC. The site is UNESCO-listed and has two excavation shelters with open dig areas visible to visitors. It is not spectacular in the visual sense but historically it is one of the most significant places on earth: evidence of one of the first urban settlements of human civilisation.

Practical: 52km south of Konya. Rental car or guided day tour. Open daily. Entrance approximately 150 TRY.

Konya’s Conservative Character

Konya is the most religiously conservative major city in Turkey. Alcohol is not served in most restaurants (there are exceptions in hotels and specific establishments). Dress modestly in the city centre — bare shoulders and short skirts are not appropriate near the Mevlana Museum and in the old city generally. The city is entirely safe and hospitable to tourists; the conservatism manifests in the social atmosphere rather than in any restrictions on visitors.

Best Time to Visit

April to June and September to October for the most comfortable temperatures (15-25C). July and August are very hot (35-40C) and Konya’s inland plateau location offers no coastal relief. December 17 (Sheb-i Arus) is the most significant annual event and the most atmospheric time to visit, though accommodation books out months in advance.