Konya () is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the
Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of
Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium (), although the Seljuks also called it Darü'l-Mülk, meaning "seat of government". In 19th-century accounts of the city in English its name is usually spelt Konia or Koniah.
As of 2021, the population of the Metropolitan Province was 2,277,017, making it the
sixth most populous city in Turkey, and second most populous of the
Central Anatolia Region
The Central Anatolia Region ( tr, İç Anadolu Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Ankara. Other big cities are Konya, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Sivas, and Aksaray.
Located in Central Turkey, it is bordered ...
, after
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
. Of this, 1,390,051 lived in the three urban districts of
Meram,
Selçuklu and
Karatay.
Konya is served by
TCDD high-speed train (
YHT) services from
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
and
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
. The local airport (
Konya Havalimanı, KYA) is served by flights from Istanbul.
Etymology of Iconium
Konya was known in
classical antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
and during the
medieval period as (''Ikónion'') in
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
(with regular
Medieval Greek apheresis
Apheresis ( ἀφαίρεσις (''aphairesis'', "a taking away")) is a medical technology in which the blood of a person is passed through an apparatus that separates out one particular constituent and returns the remainder to the circulation ...
''Kónio(n)'') and as in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
. ''Ikónion'' is the Hellenisation of an older
Luwian
The Luwians were a group of Anatolian peoples who lived in central, western, and southern Anatolia, in present-day Turkey, during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. They spoke the Luwian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian sub-fam ...
name ''Ikkuwaniya''.
Some claim that the name Ikónion was derived from (''
icon''), referring to an
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...
legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...
according to which the hero
Perseus had vanquished the native population with an image of the "''
Gorgon
A Gorgon ( /ˈɡɔːrɡən/; plural: Gorgons, Ancient Greek: Γοργών/Γοργώ ''Gorgṓn/Gorgṓ'') is a creature in Greek mythology. Gorgons occur in the earliest examples of Greek literature. While descriptions of Gorgons vary, the te ...
Medusa
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...
's head''" before founding the city.
History
Overview
The Konya region has been inhabited since the third millennium BC and fell at different times under the rule of
the Hittites,
the Phrygians, the Classical Greeks, the
Persians and the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
. In the 11th century the
Seljuk Turks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
conquered the area and began ruling over its
Rûm (
Byzantine Greek) inhabitants, making Konya the capital of their new
Sultanate of Rum. Under the Seljuks, the city reached the height of its wealth and influence. Following their demise, Konya came under the rule of the
Karamanids, before being taken over by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in the 15th century. After the
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...
the city became part of the modern Republic of Turkey.
Ancient history
Excavations have shown that the region was inhabited during the Late
Copper Age, around 3000 BC.
It came under the influence of the
Hittites
The Hittites () were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-centra ...
around 1500 BC but was overrun by the
Sea Peoples
The Sea Peoples are a hypothesized seafaring confederation that attacked ancient Egypt and other regions in the East Mediterranean prior to and during the Late Bronze Age collapse (1200–900 BCE).. Quote: "First coined in 1881 by the Fren ...
in around 1200 BC.
The
Phrygians established their kingdom in central
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
in the eighth century BC and
Xenophon describes Iconium (as the city was originally called) as the last city of Phrygia. The region was overwhelmed by
Cimmerian
The Cimmerians (Akkadian: , romanized: ; Hebrew: , romanized: ; Ancient Greek: , romanized: ; Latin: ) were an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people originating in the Caspian steppe, part of whom subsequently migrated into Wes ...
invaders c. 690 BC. Later it formed part of the
Persian Empire, until
Darius III was defeated by
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
in 333 BC. Alexander's empire broke up shortly after his death and the town came under the rule of
Seleucus I Nicator
Seleucus I Nicator (; ; grc-gre, Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ , ) was a Macedonian Greek general who was an officer and successor ( ''diadochus'') of Alexander the Great. Seleucus was the founder of the eponymous Seleucid Empire. In the po ...
.
During the
Hellenistic period the town was ruled by the kings of
Pergamon
Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on th ...
. As
Attalus III
Attalus III ( el, Ἄτταλος Γ΄) Philometor Euergetes ( – 133 BC) was the last Attalid king of Pergamon, ruling from 138 BC to 133 BC.
Biography
Attalus III was the son of king Eumenes II and his queen Stratonice of Pergamon, and ...
, the last king of Pergamon, was about to die without an heir, he bequeathed his kingdom to the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...
. Once incorporated into the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...
, under emperor
Claudius, the city's name was changed to Claudiconium. During the reign of emperor
Hadrianus it was known as Colonia Aelia Hadriana.
St Paul and Iconium
According to the
Acts of the Apostles, the apostles
Paul
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
and
Barnabas
Barnabas (; arc, ܒܪܢܒܐ; grc, Βαρνάβας), born Joseph () or Joses (), was according to tradition an early Christian, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem. According to Acts 4:36, Barnabas was a Cypriot Jew. Name ...
preached in Iconium during their First
Missionary Journey in about 47–48 AD, having been persecuted in
Antioch. Their visit to the
synagogue of the Jews in Iconium divided the Jewish and
non-Jewish communities between those who believed Paul and Barnabas' message and those who didn't, provoking a disturbance during which attempts were made to
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
the apostles. They fled to
Lystra and
Derbe in
Lycaonia. This experience is also mentioned in the
Second Letter to Timothy, and 19th-century American theologian
Albert Barnes suggested that Timothy had been present with Paul in Iconium, Antioch and Lystra. Paul and
Silas probably visited Konya again during Paul's
Second Missionary Journey in about 50, as well as near the beginning of his
Third Missionary Journey several years later. The city became the seat of a bishop, and in c. 370 was raised to the status of a
metropolitan see
Metropolitan may refer to:
* Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories
* Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England
* Metropolitan county, a ...
for
Lycaonia, with
Saint Amphilochius as the first metropolitan bishop.
According to the
apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla
The ''Acts of Paul and Thecla'' (''Acta Pauli et Theclae'') is an apocryphal story– Edgar J. Goodspeed called it a " religious romance"–of Paul the Apostle's influence on a young virgin named Thecla. It is one of the writings of the New Test ...
, Iconium was also the birthplace of
Saint Thecla, who saved the city from attack by the
Isaurians.
Under the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
, the city became part of the
Anatolic Theme. During the eighth to tenth centuries, the town and the nearby (Caballa)
Kaballah Fortress (
Turkish: ''Gevale Kalesi'')
location were a frequent target of
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
attacks during the
Arab–Byzantine wars.
Seljuk and Karamanid eras
The
Seljuk Turks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
first raided the area
in 1069, but a period of chaos overwhelmed Anatolia after the Seljuk victory in the
Battle of Manzikert in 1071, and the
Norman mercenary leader
Roussel de Bailleul
Roussel de Bailleul (died 1077), also known as ''Phrangopoulos'' ( gr, Φραγγόπουλος, , son-of-a-Frank) and ''Norman Chief Roussel'' (lit. tr, Norman Reisi Ursel), or in the anglicized form Russell Balliol was a Norman adventurer (or ex ...
rose in revolt at Iconium. The city was finally conquered by the Seljuks in 1084.
From 1097 to 1243 it was the capital of the
Seljuk Sultanate of Rum. It was briefly occupied by the
Crusaders
Godfrey of Bouillon (August 1097), and
Frederick Barbarossa (May 18, 1190) after the
Battle of Iconium (1190). The area was reoccupied by the Turks after the Crusaders left.
Konya reached the height of its wealth and influence in the second half of the 12th century when the Seljuk sultans of Rum also subdued the
Anatolian beyliks to their east, especially that of the
Danishmends
The Danishmendids or Danishmends ( fa, دودمان دانشمند; tr, Dânişmendliler) was a Turkish beylik that ruled in north-central and eastern Anatolia from 1071/1075 to 1178. The dynasty centered originally around Sivas, Tokat, and N ...
, thus establishing their rule over virtually all of eastern
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
,. They also acquired several port towns along the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
(including
Alanya) and the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...
(including
Sinop Sinop can refer to:
* Sinop, Turkey, a city on the Black Sea
** Sinop Nuclear Power Plant, was planned in 2013, but cancelled in 2018
** Battle of Sinop, 1853 naval battle in the Sinop port
*** Russian ship ''Sinop'', Russian ships named after the ...
) and even gained a brief foothold in
Sudak
Sudak (Ukrainian & Russian: Судак; crh, Sudaq; gr, Σουγδαία; sometimes spelled Sudac or Sudagh) is a town, multiple former Eastern Orthodox bishopric and double Latin Catholic titular see. It is of regional significance in Crimea, ...
,
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
. This golden age lasted until the first decades of the 13th century.
Many
Persians and
Persianised Turks from
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
migrated to Anatolian cities either to flee the
invading Mongols or to benefit from the opportunities for educated Muslims in a newly established kingdom.
Following the fall of the
Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate
fa, سلجوقیان روم ()
, status =
, government_type = Hereditary monarchyTriarchy (1249–1254)Diarchy (1257–1262)
, year_start = 1077
, year_end = 1308
, p1 = By ...
in 1307, Konya became the capital of the
Karamanids, a
Turkish beylik, which lasted until 1322 when the city was captured by the neighbouring
Beylik of Karamanoğlu. In 1420, the Beylik of Karamanoğlu fell to the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and, in 1453, Konya was made the provincial capital of the
Karaman Eyalet
Karaman Eyalet ( ota, ایالت قرهمان, Eyālet-i Ḳaraman) was one of the subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire. Its reported area in the 19th century was .
In 1468, the formerly independent principality of Karaman was annexed by the ...
.
Ottoman Empire
Under
Ottoman rule, Konya was administered by the
Sultan's sons (''Şehzade''), starting with Şehzade Mustafa and
Şehzade Cem (the sons of Sultan
Mehmed II), and continuing with the future Sultan
Selim II.
Between 1483 and 1864, Konya was the administrative capital of the
Karaman Eyalet
Karaman Eyalet ( ota, ایالت قرهمان, Eyālet-i Ḳaraman) was one of the subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire. Its reported area in the 19th century was .
In 1468, the formerly independent principality of Karaman was annexed by the ...
. During the reforming
Tanzimat period, it became the seat of the larger
Vilayet of Konya which replaced the Karaman Eyalet, as part of the new
vilayet system introduced in 1864.
In 1832 Anatolia was invaded by
Mehmed Ali Paşa of
Kavala whose son,
İbrahim Paşa, occupied Konya. Although he was driven out with the help of the European powers, Konya went into a decline after this, as described by the British traveller, William Hamilton, who visited in 1837 and found a scene 'of destruction and decay', as he recorded in his ''Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia'', published in 1842.
Konya's textile and mining industries flourished under the Ottomans.
Turkish Republic
During the
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...
(1919–22) Konya was captured by the
Greek Army and later after being recaptured by the
Turkish Army
The Turkish Land Forces ( tr, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), or Turkish Army (Turkish: ), is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the ...
, it had a major
air base
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
. In 1922, the air force, renamed as the Inspectorate of Air Forces, was headquartered in Konya.
In 1923 during the
population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the
Greeks
The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, oth ...
of the nearby village of Sille were forced to leave as refugees and resettle in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
.
Government
The first local administration in Konya was founded in 1830 and converted into a municipality in 1876. In March 1989, the municipality became a Metropolitan Municipality. As of that date, Konya had three central district municipalities (Meram, Selçuklu, Karatay) and a Metropolitan Municipality.
Economy
Home to several industrial parks. The city ranks among the
Anatolian Tigers
In the context of the Turkish economy, Anatolian Tigers ( tr, Anadolu Kaplanları) are a number of cities in Turkey which have displayed impressive growth records since the 1980s, as well as a defined breed of entrepreneurs rising in prominence a ...
.
In 2012 exports from Konya reached 130 countries.
A number of Turkish industrial conglomerates, such as Bera (ex Kombassan) Holding, have their headquarters in Konya.
While agriculture-based industries play a role, the city's economy has evolved into a center for the manufacturing of components for the automotive industry; machinery manufacturing; agricultural tools; casting; plastic paints and chemicals; construction materials; paper and packaging; processed foods; textiles; and leather.
Turkey's largest solar farm is located 20 miles west of the city near
Karapınar
Karapınar is a town and district of Konya Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainl ...
.
Geography
Konya sits in the center of the largest province, in the largest plain (
Konya Plain), and is the seventh most heavily populated city in Turkey.
The city is in the southern part of the
Central Anatolia Region
The Central Anatolia Region ( tr, İç Anadolu Bölgesi) is a geographical region of Turkey. The largest city in the region is Ankara. Other big cities are Konya, Kayseri, Eskişehir, Sivas, and Aksaray.
Located in Central Turkey, it is bordered ...
with the southernmost side of the province hemmed in by the
Taurus Mountains.
Climate
Konya has a cold
semi-arid climate (BSk) under the
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
classification and a temperate
continental
Continental may refer to:
Places
* Continent, the major landmasses of Earth
* Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US
* Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US
Arts and entertainment
* ''Continental'' ( ...
(''Dc'') climate under the
Trewartha classification.
Summer temperatures average , although summer nights are cool. The highest temperature recorded in Konya was on 30 July 2000. Winters average , and the lowest temperature recorded was on 6 February 1972. Precipitation levels are low and happen mainly in winter and spring.
Culture
Konya has a reputation for being one of the more religiously conservative metropolitan centres in Turkey.
Konya was the final home of
Rumi (Mevlana), whose turquoise-domed tomb in the city is its primary tourist attraction. In 1273, Rumi's followers established the
Mevlevi Sufi order of
Islam and became known as the
Whirling Dervishes
The Mevlevi Order or Mawlawiyya ( tr, Mevlevilik or Mevleviyye; fa, طریقت مولویه) is a Sufi order that originated in Konya (a city now in Turkey; formerly capital of the Seljuk Sultanate) and which was founded by the followers of Jalal ...
.
Every Saturday, there are Whirling Dervish performances (
semas) at the Mevlana Cultural Centre. Unlike some of the commercial performances staged in cities like Istanbul, these are genuinely spiritual sessions.
Expensive, richly patterned Konya
carpets were exported to Europe during the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
and were draped over furniture to show off the wealth and status of their owners. They often crop up in
contemporary oil paintings as symbols of the wealth of the painter's clients.
Attractions
*
Mevlâna Museum
*
Alaaddin Mosque
*
Ince Minaret Medrese—Museum
*
Karatay Medrese—Museum
*
Sırçalı Medrese
*
Sahib-i Ata Mosque complex
*
Konya Archaeological and Ethnography Museum
* Koyunoğlu Museum
* Atatürk House Museum
* Mevlana Cultural Centre
* Mevlana Festival
*
Selimiye Mosque
*
Aziziye Mosque
Konya Science Centre (Turkish: Konya Bilim Merkezi)*
Konya Tropical Butterfly Garden
*
Meram, suburb with popular waterside picnicking facilities
*
Sille, northwest from Mevlana Museum: antique village, mosques, churches, cave churches and catacombs
*
Çatalhöyük
Food
One of the city's best-known dishes,
etli ekmek consists of succulently tender slices of lamb served on flaps of soft white bread.
Konya is also known for unfeasibly long ''pides'' (Turkish pizzas) intended to be shared. Lucky visitors may also come across
tirit, a traditional rice dish made from meat and assorted vegetables.
Konya is also known for its sweets, including ''
cezerye'', an old Turkish sweet made from carrots, and
pişmaniye which is similar to American cotton candy.
Sports
The city's football team
Konyaspor
Konyaspor Kulübü (, Konya Sports Club) is a Turkish professional football club based in Konya. They are better known as Konyaspor. In 1922 Konyaspor were founded with the name Konya Gençlerbirliği and have played at their current home stadium ...
is part of the
Turkish Professional Football League. On May 31, 2017, they won their first national trophy, beating
İstanbul Başakşehir to the
Türkiye Kupası in a penalty shootout. They repeated this success on August 6, 2017, defeating
Beşiktaş to win the
Türkiye Süper Kupası (Turkish Superbowl).
Konya Metropolitan Stadium (Konya Büyükşehir Stadyumu) is in the Selçuklu neighbourhood and can seat up to 42,000 spectators.
The city hosted the
2022 Islamic Solidarity Games in August 2022.
Education
Founded in 1975,
Selçuk University
Selçuk University ( tr, Selçuk Üniversitesi) is a state-owned higher educational institution which was founded 1975 in Konya, Turkey. It is one of the largest universities in Turkey with a student body of 63,000 of which 2,200 are foreign stu ...
had the largest number of students (76,080) of any public university in Turkey during the 2008–09 academic year. The other public university,
Necmettin Erbakan University
Necmettin Erbakan University ( Turkish ''Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi'') is a public university in Konya, Turkey.
History
Necmettin Erbakan University (NEU) was established as Konya University. On April 11, 2012, its name was changed to "Ne ...
, was established in Konya in 2010.
Private colleges in Konya include the KTO Karatay University.
Konya hosts the
Anatolian Eagle Tactical Training Centre for training NATO Allies and friendly Air Forces.
Transportation
Intercity buses
The central bus station has connections to a range of destinations, including
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
,
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
and
İzmir
İzmir ( , ; ), also spelled Izmir, is a metropolitan city in the western extremity of Anatolia, capital of the province of the same name. It is the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara and the second largest urban aggl ...
. It is connected to the town centre by a tram.
Inner-city public transport
The
Konya Tram network is long and has two lines with 41 stations. Opened in 1992, it was expanded in 1996 and 2015. The
Konya Tram uses
Škoda 28 T vehicles.
Work began on building a
Konya Metro in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2024 and will have 22 stations.
Konya also has an extensive inner-city bus network.
Railway
Konya is connected to
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
,
Eskişehir
Eskişehir ( , ; from "old" and "city") is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. The urban population of the city is 898,369 with a metropolitan population of 797,708. The city is located on the banks of the ...
,
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
and
Karaman via the
high-speed railway services of the
Turkish State Railways
The State Railways of the Republic of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları), abbreviated as TCDD, is a government-owned national railway company responsible with the ownership and maintenance of railway infrastructure in Turkey ...
.
Airport and airbase
Konya Airport (KYA) is a public
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
but also a military
airbase used by
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
. The Third Air Wing of the 1st Air Force Command is based at the
Konya Air Base. The wing controls the four
Boeing 737 AEW&C
The Boeing 737 AEW&C is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design. It is lighter than the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry, and has a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar ant ...
Peace Eagle aircraft of the
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known to ...
.
Notable people
*
Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, also called ''Mawlana'' or Mevlana, the inspiration behind the Sufi
Mevlevi order (known for
the Whirling Dervishes and
Masnavi). He died and was buried in Konya in 1273.
*
Amphilochius of Iconium, fourth century Christian bishop.
*
Prokopios Lazaridis,
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis.
Originally, the term referred to the ...
of the
Metropolis of Iconium
*
Murat Yıldırım (actor), actor and presenter
*
Hilmi Şenalp (1957-), architect.
Twin towns – sister cities
Konya is
twinned with:
*
Bârlad
Bârlad () is a municipiu, city in Vaslui County, Romania. It lies on the banks of the river Bârlad (river), Bârlad, which waters the high plains of Western Moldavia.
At Bârlad the railway from Iași diverges, one branch skirting the river S ...
, Romania
*
Ganja, Azerbaijan
*
Nishapur, Iran
*
Al Qadarif, Sudan
*
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
, Germany
*
Sheki, Azerbaijan
*
Sylhet, Bangladesh
*
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
, Japan
*
Tetovo, North Macedonia
Kyoto İle Kardeş Şehir Protokolü İmzalandı, Heyet Japon Parkı'nı Gezdi
, Konya Büyükşehir Belediyesi (2010)
* Xi'an
Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by other names, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain, the city is the third most populous city in Western China, after Chongqi ...
, China
See also
* Mevlâna Museum
* Anatolian Tigers
In the context of the Turkish economy, Anatolian Tigers ( tr, Anadolu Kaplanları) are a number of cities in Turkey which have displayed impressive growth records since the 1980s, as well as a defined breed of entrepreneurs rising in prominence a ...
* Konya Carpets and Rugs
* Theodosius the Cenobiarch
Theodosius the Cenobiarch ( 423–529 AD) was a monk, abbot, and saint who was a founder and organizer of the cenobitic way of monastic life. His feast day is on January 11.Great Synaxaristes: Ὁ Ὅσιος Θεοδόσιος ὁ Κοιν� ...
(c. 423–529 AD), monk, abbot, and saint born in Iconium; a founder and organiser of the cenobitic way of monastic life
* Thecla
Thecla ( grc, Θέκλα, ) was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle. The earliest record of her life comes from the ancient apocryphal ''Acts of Paul and Thecla''.
Church tradition
The ''Acts of ...
or Tecla, first-century virgin saint of early Christian Church born in Iconium
Notes
References
General
*
*
*
Further reading
Published in the 19th century
*
*
Published in the 20th century
*
*
Published in the 21st century
*
*
External links
*
Britannica.com: Konya
More information about Konya
Emporis: Database of highrises and other structures in Konya
Detailed Pictures of Mevlana Museum
Pictures of the city, including Mevlana Museum and several Seljuk buildings
600 Pictures of the city and sights
Extensive collection of pictures of the Mevlana museum in Konya
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Turkey
Populated places along the Silk Road
Holy cities
World Heritage Tentative List for Turkey
Lycaonia
Populated places in ancient Lycaonia