Konya Things to Do

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Izzet Koyunluoglu, a member of an old Konya family, established a museum in his house which holds his own private collection. The vast array of exhibits includes historical works of art, books that he had collected over many years, illuminated manuscripts, kilims and carpets. The archaeological section containing coins, fossils, jewellery and Bronze Age relics.

Museum Tel: (0332) 351 1857

Closed Mondays.

This small collection has exhibits from Konya’s ancient history, including decorated Roman sarcophagi from Pamphylian, and Hittite artefacts from Catal Hoyuk (the oldest known inhabited settlement). There are also remains from Greek, Byzantine and early Bronze Ages.

Museum Tel: (0332) 351 89 58/152

Opening hours: 09.00 – 12.00 & 13.30 – 17.30, closed Mondays.

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Sircali medrese was build in 1242 by Bedreddin Muhlis as a theological school.You will understand easily the similarity with the medreses of Samarkand witrh an open courtyard
many hucre ( cell) around and dershane ( classes)
The museum now houses valuable tombstones from Seljuks and Ottomans. The tilework of the exterior is striking, and calligraphy decorates the archway to the courtyard.

Museum Tel: (0332 ) 350 4031

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İnce Minare Museum (Theological School): To the west of Alaeddin Tepesi is the Ince Minare Medrese, built by the Seljuk Vizier Sahip Ata Fahrettin Ali in 1254. Its main exhibits are carvings in wood and stone dating back to the Seljuks, and most carry motifs found in the tiles and ceramics, lions, humans, and the double-headed eagles which is mow a symbol of the town. The main doorway has stunning examples of ornate tiles and decorative calligraphy.

Opening hours: 08.30 – 12.00 & 13.30 – 17.30, closed Mondays.

This mosque is a little different than the others ,because it is constructed in a rectangular basis and the long side is consisting the main entrance.
The reason is to have as many prayers as possible at the first row.In Islam to be shoulder to shoulder is important and rich people with poor, young people with old any kind of man and woman can pray together without any discrimination..there is no hierarchy at all..everybody who knows to pray can be the leader for the pray too...

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The rituals of the Rumi's followers (Whirling Dervishes) are among the enduring as well as the most exquisite ceremonies of spirituality. The ritual Whirling of the Dervishes is an act of love and a "drama of faith". It possesses a highly structured form within which the gentle turns become increasingly dynamic as the individual dervishes strive to achieve a state of trans. The music that accompanies the whirling from beginning to end ranges from somber to rhapsodical; its effect is intended to be mesmerizing. Chanting of poetry, rhythmic rotation, and incessant music create a synthesis which, according to the faithful, induces a feeling of soaring, of ecstasy, of mystical flight.

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Passing by the lagoon with many ducks and swans at huge cultural park, I ended up in I guess the biggest mosque and most recent one in the city. It is still under construction though almost complete.

The contruction of the mosque, which holds one of the significant scholar’s name Hacý Veyiszada, was begun in 1988.

Haci Veyiszade complex, located in the city centre, includes publication, guesthouse, mufti’s office, its capacity is about 10,000 people. The mosque has the highest minarets of the region with 2 minarets constructed with 3 balconies 78 metres in high.

Although it doesn't hold long history like most mosques in the city, it still is worth seeing for its excellent architectural design.

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You entered the Mevlana Museum complex at the graveyard. Several tombs line up the entrance with those stone headresses on top of every epitaph of tombs.

When you reach the courtyard, on the left side, eastern part of the courtyard are mausoleums belonging to 3 prominent figures -- Sinan Pasha, Fatma Hatun and Hasan Pasha, all facing the Samahane (Ritual Prayer Hall) and the small mosque section, just next and the main mausoleum that holds the graves of Mevlana and his family members.

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When you enter the courtyard of the Mevlana Museum start checking out first the 17 small cells around the west and north sides, built in 1584 by Sultan Murat III to house the dervishes.

Each of the cells have its own small dome and chimney, the first two of the 13 cells to the left of the gate used as Postnisin and Mesnevi-han cells are kept in their original form and presented to the public.

The last two cells at the end are allocated to the very valuable book collections donated by Abdülbaki Golpinarli and Dr. Mehmed Onder, and they are used as a library.

The partition walls of the remaining 9 cells were removed providing two interconnected large corridors. In one of these corridors old rugs of historical value from regions famous for their rugs are displayed while the other has old rugs from districts of Konya. Display windows built in the window and door sills of these cells display artefacts of Mevlevi ethnography which were transferred to the museum from the Lodge, and the extremely valuable Bursa fabrics from the museum collection.

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Starting from the back of the Mevlana Museum, is a local neighborhood where you can see some old houses, some of them looks historical, some abandoned, others just really old stone/wooden houses. Nice clean streets, children playing, and local scenes.

But be vary wary though as the city though metropolitan, it still is a relatively conservative place compared to other cities in Turkey. You are not supposed to take photographs of people randomly -- either they smile at you or frown, at worst, you'll get shouted at by the local kids.

So be careful, best to ask permission first if you can take their pictures.