A well-known religious city, center of the Sufism and of the whirling derviches.
His story goes to the prehistoric age when the Hitite Empire was destroyed, the Phrygians build around 1200 AD a city in the location of the actual Konya. Later on, the Persians took it, but with Alexander’s the Great conquest, the city became a possession of his General Lysimachus, then of the Romans and of the Byzantines.
Konya known also with the name “Iconium” has been visited by St Paul and St Barnabas and was an important trading center of the silk road.
The Turk Selçuks conquered Konya around 1087 and the Osmanlı (Ottoman) in 1466.
Today is the largest province of the Republic and a place of Muslim and Christian Pilgrimage.
The climate of Konya is typical Central Anatolian climate: very hot and dry in summer, and freezing cold in winter. Rain falls in April and the best times to visit are spring and autumn.
Hunting: Hunting in the following areas are just perfect: Beyşehir, Seydişehir, Hadim, Taşkent, and Ilgın.
Cycling: Cycling is very trendy in Konya due to its geographical structure its surrounding plains. The Mevlana International Cycle Race is held here every year between 5 - 9 September.
There are many modern shopping malls in Konya.
Elite brands from Turkey and from the world are exhibited in these shopping malls.
In these shopping malls, also containing entartainment areas such as movie theatres, etc., you can easily reach any kind of food and textile, white goods and various products.
Afra Shopping Center in the centrum of Konya is started at 1996 with 15.000m²
KULE SİTE with 14.000m² is started at March 2004
The M1 Tepe Shopping Center with REAL,
PRAKTİKER and many other shop's are started at 2003
KİPA Shopping Center opened at 2006
Beside handmade carpets and kilims, local products of Mevlana are also available as souvenirs and memorabilia.