City
in central Turkey with 740,000 inhabitants (2004 estimate), 250 km from
the Mediterranean Sea and 500 km from the Black Sea, on an elevation
1,027 metres above sea level. The Bozkir Mountains lies to the west, and
the central Taurus ranges to the south. It is the capital of Konya
province with 2.2 million inhabitants (2004 estimate).
The
economical base of Konya is the production of carpets, leather sugar and
flour as well as the trading of minerals. The region of Konya
specializes in breeding of horses and camels. Since the early 1970's
have local bauxite deposits been tapped by an aluminium-manufacturing
complex.
Konya is
fairly isolated from other large cities of Turkey. Adana 450 km
southeast and Eskisehir 500 km northwest are linked by both road and
rail. The best connections with the capital, Ankara, is by air.
Large parts
of Konya has dreary and uninspiring modern Turkish architecture. Yet
there are several sights, as well as attractive gardens and orchards.
The tomb of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the 13th century founder of the
whirling dervishes, or Mevleviye, lies in the Sufi order's local
complex, called tekke. The tekke and its Sufi activities is a place of
pilgrimage for Muslims from all over the world. Konya also holds
Christian monuments, like the old church of Amphilochius inside the city
and several shrines nearby.
Konya has the
Selçuk University, founded in 1975.
HISTORY
Konya is one of the oldest urban centres in the world, with excavated
settlements dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE. Its oldest recorded
name is Iconium.
3rd century BCE: Greek immigration, and gradual hellenization on
Iconium starts.
25: Iconium comes under Rome.
130 CE: Iconium becomes a Roman colony.
372: Becomes the capital of the province of Lycaonia.
1072: Conquered from the Byzantine Empire by the Seljuq sultanate
of Rum. They renamed it Konya, and the sultan made it his seat. A period
of growth and prosperity would follow.
13th century: On the eve of the Seljuq era, many great buildings
are erected in Konya, many Muslim schools, medreses.
1243: The Rum Seljuqs are defeated by Mongols, and Konya becomes
part of the Il-Khanid empire.
1467: Konya is annexed by the Ottoman Empire.
1832: The Egyptian army is defeated by the Ottoman at Konya.
1896: Konya is connected to the railway, bringing growth to the
ctiy.
1923: With the establishment of Ankara as capital of Turkey,
Konya loses its position as the most important city of the Anatolian
interior.
1980's: Konya gains a reputation of hard line religious
conservatism, as a local is severely beaten for smoking in the street
during the month of Ramadan (see Sawm).
Date the website was last modified:
11/04/2004
