Konya

Central Anatolia, Turkey 14 tours visit here

Konya lies on the southern edge of the Central Anatolian plateau and was the capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate through the 12th and 13th centuries. That era still shapes the old centre: the Alaeddin Mosque on the low mound at its heart, and the Ince Minareli and Karatay madrasas, whose carved stone portals and Seljuk tilework now hold museum collections. The city is best known as the home of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the 13th-century mystic and poet whose teachings gave rise to the Mevlevi, or whirling dervish, order, formalised by his followers after his death. His tomb, beneath a fluted turquoise dome, is the centrepiece of the Mevlana Museum and remains a place of pilgrimage as much as a museum; modest dress is expected, and it is busiest around midday and on religious holidays. Konya is quieter and more conservative than Turkey's coastal cities, and is usually seen in half a day to a full day, often as a stop between Cappadocia and the Mediterranean. Sema ceremonies are performed regularly at the Mevlana Cultural Centre, and the Seb-i Arus commemoration each December, marking the anniversary of Rumi's death, is the busiest week of the year.