Konya is somewhat different from other Anatolian cities. What sets it apart is its deep historical traces of civilizations such as the Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Sasanids, Karamanids, and Ottomans throughout history. Although it has been an important settlement center at every stage of history, it reached its true identity and richness during the Seljuk civilization. Hosting many civilizations from prehistoric times to the present, Konya has played a strategic role in almost every period and is a city bursting with history, home to many Islamic scholars and mystics, the tombs of sultans, viziers, and significant historical figures like Mevlana, as well as foundations, tekkes, zaviyes, schools, and madrasas.
It is a historical center where roads and spirits converge in the heart of Central Anatolia. Those entering from the northern road are greeted by the endless expanse of the Konya Plain, while those coming from the south are welcomed by the natural beauty of the Taurus Mountains. Once the capital of capitals, the city’s physical presence, along with the human heritage brought by its historical capital status, accompanies the people of today. The integration of traditional elements with modern life makes Konya unique.
Konya is a folder containing cultures and civilizations stacked like files. The spirit of time, layered with cultures, history, and art from Rome, Byzantium, Seljuks, Principalities, and Ottomans, lives on these lands.
Konya does not run in a single lane. In addition to being one of Turkey’s strongest centers of industry, commerce, and agriculture, it is a magnet for national and international visitors. Everyone in the world knows Mevlana Celalettin Rumi, and Konya draws its strength as the capital of tolerance from him. Çatalhöyük, identified as one of humanity’s first settlements, is located here. This city, with its unique examples of Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman architecture—such as mosques (have you ever seen a Gothic mosque?), churches, tombs, madrasas, caravanserais, and complexes—represents ancient lands worthy of rooting and sprouting for humanity.
The city, rising from the roots of its cultural heritage, has multiplied its potential with numerous qualities without ever falling into a state of inheritance. The restored Sille Settlement Area, the unique Tropical Butterfly Garden, the Science Center, and Meram, which has been a favored settlement since the Hittites and is described by the famous traveler Evliya Çelebi as “unmatched,” are all connected through short pathways as autonomous settlements. The heart of Necmettin Erbakan University beats in Meram.
One of the most important figures of tolerance, the renowned philosopher, thinker, and writer Mevlana, famously said: “Come, whatever you are.”