Turkey's untrodden trails. Part two. konya
Keep studying A map of the Republic of Turkey for non-tourist places should definitely pay attention to Konye. It is a large modern city in central Anatolia with a population of more than two million inhabitants. But first of all, Konya is the ancient capital of Turkey, one of the oldest cities in the world, with 9 thousand years of history, a significant religious and cultural center.
Not all travel companies offer an excursion to Konya. You may be lucky to find a street agency gathering a motley group from all over the world on a bus tour. Or on the way to Cappadocia for a fee, you will be brought to see Konya from the corner of your eye. But in reality, this city is so rich in history, traditions and attractions that it deserves to be the destination of even the most sophisticated tourist.
The first settlements in the Konya area date back to 7,500 BC. The city is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible as Iconion or Iconia. This Greek version of the name has a mythological origin. According to legend, a dragon lived here, bringing a lot of trouble and suffering to the citizens, but the brave Perseus defeated the monster, and the locals erected a lycon (an obelisk with his image) in honor of the savior. The modern version of the name appeared under the Seljuks, who conquered these territories and made the city their capital in the 12-14 centuries. During this period, Omar Khayam lived and wrote his beautiful rubais here.
Under the Seljuks, Konya became the most important religious center of Sufism, a mystical current of Islam that preaches spirituality and asceticism. Here lived Mevlana Jelalladdin Rumi - founder of the Sufi order of rotating Mevlevi dervishes. The rituals of Mevlevi are interesting and unique: under the unusual sound of flutes and hypnotic drums, the followers of the order begin to spin, entering a trance, attracting all the participants of the ceremony.
In 1925, Kemal Pasha Atatürk, who separated the state and religion, banned the Order. But followers secretly performed rituals at home, and by the end of the fifties of the last century, the Turkish government decided to resume the services of dervishes, recognizing them as an integral part of Turkish culture. The dance ritual is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To date, the most important and visited sight of Konya is the Mevlana Museum. This is the ancient monastery of Rumi, here is its mausoleum. The museum presents musical instruments and clothes of dervishes of the time of Mevlana, ancient manuscripts and works of art. In the hall where the remains of the philosopher lie, there are always many pilgrims who come to pray.
Visiting this museum complex, it is worth remembering that in addition to the cultural center, it is also an active religious site. Therefore, we recommend that tourists leave their shoes at the entrance, cover their hands, legs and hair. Representatives of all faiths are treated with great respect here, as Rumi himself preached religious tolerance. Therefore, paying tribute to the philosopher, guests should respond to the same Islamic traditions.
In Konya there are other noteworthy attractions. For example, the mosque Iplikci 1202 years built, madrasah Karatai, madrasah Inje Menare. Currently, these buildings are equipped for museums. It is worth visiting the Alaaddin Mosque, where 8 sultans rest. On the territory of the city there is a part of the Acropolis of Iconion, excavations of Hittite, Roman and Greek quarters.
Especially many pilgrims and tourists arrive in Konya in mid-December, when the annual festival of Mevlana takes place. Bright unforgettable spectacle, accompanied by traditional music, attracts not only religious followers of Sufism, but also guests from different countries. Unfortunately, the climate in this part of Turkey is tougher than on the Mediterranean coast, so in winter the temperature is about zero degrees. Nevertheless, the extraordinary cultural tradition of the Turkish people deserves to be frozen, but inspired by the eternal values of which Rumi spoke in his sermons.
Staying in Konya, it makes sense to spend time exploring the surroundings. The place of power is considered the village of Çatal-Hüyük about 40 kilometers from the city. It was from here that Konya began - there are excavations of a large Stone Age settlement. It is the largest and best preserved Neolithic settlement found by archaeologists to date. The houses of our Neolithic ancestors are built close to each other in such a way that there is not even a passage between them, and entrance is possible only through the roof. Something similar is still being built by North American Indians and West Africans.
Getting to Konya by yourself is not so difficult. There is a small airport with regular flights from Istanbul. There are trains and buses from Istanbul to Konya. There is a regular bus service with Antalya, located just 300 km away.
In the city there are many hotels of different stars, where you can accommodate to give Konya enough attention and enjoy the atmosphere of timelessness reigning here.
If you have not yet entered the path leading to Konya, then do it boldly, wish good luck and a good rest.
Text by Oksana Arkhipova
Photo: sputnik-news, wattpad, tripadvisor, pchelovodstvo
If you are going on a trip to the Republic of Turkey, we advise you to contact professional guides of TurkeySo that your journey goes without worries.