This programme is funded by the European Union
Konya
The ancient city of Konya is situated in the centre of the great Anatolian plateau. It is Turkey’s eighth largest city in terms of population, and the largest in terms of territory.
The first evidence of settlement in and around Konya dates back to prehistoric times, and was followed later by permanent settlements of such cultures as the Hittites, Frigians, Lydians, Persians, Greeks, Romans Seljuks and Ottomans. As the capital city of the Seljuks, the first Turkish state founded in Anatolia, the city contains breathtaking examples of Seljuk architecture.
The city has many points of interest, including the nearby ruins of Çatalhöyük, one of the most ancient cities in human history; and the shrine of Mevlana Jalaleddin Rumi, the great Sufi poet (1207-1273). Konya is an important centre for the teachings of the Sufi mystic philosophers Jalaleddin Rumi and Hacı Bektaş, and is also home to the well-known Whirling Dervish.
