📖 About Konya

Konya is one of Turkey's oldest and most spiritually significant cities, the resting place of the great Sufi mystic Rumi (Mevlana) and the birthplace of the Whirling Dervishes. With approximately 2.3 million residents in the metropolitan area, Turkey's seventh-largest city combines deep religious heritage with modern industry, conservative values with economic dynamism. The city is Turkey's largest by area, surrounded by vast agricultural plains.

Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, whose magnificent architecture still graces the city center. The green-tiled dome of Rumi's tomb draws pilgrims and visitors from around the world. Every December, the Şeb-i Arus ceremony commemorates Rumi's death—his "wedding night" with the divine—with Whirling Dervish performances.

Konya offers visitors Seljuk architecture, Sufi spirituality, and insight into conservative Anatolian Turkey. The city represents a counterpoint to secular Istanbul, deeply religious while also economically progressive.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Konya is one of Turkey's "Anatolian Tiger" cities—religiously conservative but economically dynamic. Agriculture benefits from the vast surrounding plains; Konya leads Turkey in wheat production. Manufacturing has grown substantially; automotive parts, machinery, and food processing are significant. The city's business culture emphasizes Islamic values alongside entrepreneurship. Religious tourism brings visitors year-round. The combination of faith and economic development makes Konya a model for conservative modernization.

Konya's culture is deeply Islamic. The city is Turkey's most religiously conservative major city; alcohol is available but not prominent. Mevlevi (Whirling Dervish) tradition infuses spiritual life. Poetry, particularly Rumi's works in Turkish and Persian, shapes cultural consciousness. Traditional music and crafts persist. The Şeb-i Arus festival in December draws international visitors. Family values and community solidarity define social life. Despite conservatism, Konya has modernized economically while maintaining traditional character.

📜 History

Konya (ancient Iconium) has been inhabited since the Bronze Age; Çatalhöyük nearby is one of humanity's oldest urban settlements (7500 BCE). The city was important in Roman and Byzantine periods; Saint Paul visited here. Seljuk Turks captured Konya in 1076; as capital of the Sultanate of Rum, the city flourished with mosques, madrasas, and commerce.

Rumi arrived in Konya in 1228 and lived here until his death in 1273. His poetry and the Mevlevi order made Konya a center of Sufi Islam. Ottoman rule continued the city's religious importance. The Turkish Republic initially suppressed dervish orders, but the Mevlana Museum preserved the tradition. Modern Konya has industrialized while maintaining religious identity. Today's Konya embodies Turkey's blend of tradition and modernity, Islamic spirituality and economic development.