Cultural Highlights of Konya

Konya’s cultural landscape spans over 9,000 years, beginning with the Neolithic proto-city of Çatalhöyük. The city served as the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, leaving a legacy of intricate stonework at the Ince Minare and Karatay madrasas. Central to its identity is the Mevlana Museum, the former lodge of the whirling dervishes and burial site of the poet Rumi. This collection highlights the transition from prehistoric settlements to the spiritual and architectural zenith of the Seljuk era.