Area: 38.183 km² , Population: 2.192.166
GENERAL INFORMATION
Konya is one of the first inhabited cities in the history of mankind, and still contains traces of many ancient civilisations which gives it the atmosphere of a museum city. Because of its locations in the middle of the barren Anatolian steppe, it used to be one of the most important trading centres on the Silk Road. The fertile land around the city means Konya is also the heart of Turkey’s grain industry, with farming a major industry. Steeped in tradition, it is one of the most conservative and religious places in the country, and best known as the adopted home of Celaleddin Rumi, the Sufic mystic who founded the Whirling Dervish sect. Today it is still a centre of Sufic practice and teaching, and one of the highlights for visitors is the Mevlana Museum, the former lodge of the dervishes.
HOW TO GET
By Road: Konya is well connected to all areas of the country, with a good bus network. The main bus station is 3km north of the city, and from there regular services include Istanbul (10 hours), Izmir (8 hours), Nevsehir (2½ hours), Ankara (3 hours) and Antalya (6 hours). There is a tram into the city, and many minibuses.
By Rail: The train station is in the southwest of the city centre. There are direct trains to Istanbul (14 hours), Adana (8 hours), Afyon (6 hours), Gaziantep (13hours) and Isparta (1 hour). Tickets should be purchased in advance for long distance fast trains.
By Air: There are daily flights to and from Istanbul. There is a Turkish Airlines bus service to and from the city centre.
DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT
- Learning about the Dervishes in the Mevlana Museum,
- Visiting the ancient sites of Catalhoyuk and Kilistra,
- Admiring the ornate architecture of the Mosques, Palaces, and Hans,
- Entering a wedding dinner,
- Buying carpets, and pileless carpets from the villages of Konya.
- Watching the Mevlevi ceremony between 10-17 December every year.
CATALHOYUK
This ancient site, 50km south-east of Konya, is said to be the first settlement in the world with houses and sacred buildings dating back to 6800 BC. The remains were discovered by British archaeologists in 1958, and research shows 13 different strata with evidence of houses that had to be entered by holes in the roof as there were no streets. There is little left at the site, except the remains of mud brick houses, murals, plaster reliefs and pottery. Construction was from adobe, wood and reed, and most of the findings are now in the Konya Museum of Archaeology.
It is possible to get most of the way by minibus, then a taxi for the remaining 10 miles.
BALANITI CAVE
The total length of the cave is 1830 meters and has two entrances displaying the properties of sinkhole and fountain. The entrance which is closer to the road draws the water of little uvula and run down 2km south, from a cracked valley border, slope of Uzunsu river side.
Balatini Cave is developed from two different levels, are an top of the other. The fossil branch surface of upper level is completely covered with cave clay and ended with the statue Room filled with the little statues made by the visitors. The lower level is the main gallery which contains the water. You can go through the gallery by foot when the level of water decreases. The three small pool, can be, passed by transition technique or by boat. The Statue Room and the natural rock sculptures are worth to be seen.
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