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KONYA |
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Roughly midway between Antalya and Nevsehir, KONYA is a place of
pilgrimage for the entire Muslim world - the home of Celalledin Rumi or
the Mevlâna ("Our Master"), the mystic who founded the Mevlevî or "Whirling
Dervish" sect, and the centre of Sufic mystical practice and teaching.
It was also something of a capital during the Selçuk era, many of the
buildings from which are still standing, along with examples of their
highly distinctive crafts and applied arts which are on display in
Konya's museums. In recent years, Konya has developed a reputation as a
hotbed of fundamentalism, though this now appears to be on the decline.
As a result, although initially not a very appealing city of over half-a-million
people, it's well worth a stop, especially if you're making your way
down to the coast from Cappadocia.
The City
The Mevlâna Müzesi (Mon 10am-5pm, Tues-Sun 9am-5pm; $2) is among
Turkey's more rewarding sights, housed in the first lodge ( tekke ) of
the Mevlevî dervish sect, at the eastern end of Mevlâna Bulvara, and
easily recognizable by its distinctive fluted turquoise dome. The tekke
served as a place of teaching, meditation and ceremonial dance from
shortly after Rumi's death in 1273 until 1925, when Atatürk banned all
Sufic orders. The main building of the museum holds the mausoleum
containing the tombs of the Mevlâna, his father and other notables - as
with mosques, shoes must be left at the door, women must cover their
heads, and whether you're male or female, if you're wearing shorts
you'll be given a skirt-like affair to cover your legs. It is permitted
to take photographs of the mausoleum , but remember to be respectful;
for some it is an extremely holy and venerated site. In the adjoining
room, the original semahane (or ceremonial hall) exhibits include some
of the musical instruments of the first dervishes, the original
illuminated Mathnawi - the poetical work of the Mevlâna - and silk and
woollen carpets, including one 500-year-old silk carpet from Selçuk
Persia that is supposedly the finest ever woven. The latticed gallery
above was for women spectators, a modification introduced by the
followers of the Mevlâna after his death. In the adjoining room, a
casket containing hairs from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad is
displayed alongside illuminated medieval Korans. A separate building
houses an exhibition of dervish memorabilia and some bizarre waxwork
figures.
At the opposite end of Mevlâna Caddesi (later Alâeddin Caddesi, once
west of Aziziye Caddesi) from the Mevlâna Müzesi, the Alâeddin Parki is
a nice place to stroll. This is the site of the original Selçuk
acropolis and the source of finds dating back to 7000 BC, most of which
are now in the museum in Ankara. At the foot of the hill to the north
are the scant remains of a Selçuk palace, although you'd do better to
head straight for the imposing Alâeddin mosque (daily 9.30am-5.30pm)
begun in 1130 and completed in 1221, with an odd facade graced with bits
of masonry from an earlier construction. Recently restored, the interior
has distinctly Selçuk features like a network of wooden beams, and the
remains of eight Selçuk sultans are enshrined in the courtyard. The
nearby Karatay Medrese on Alâeddin Bulvara (daily 9am-noon &
1.30-5.30pm; $1.50) is another important Selçuk monument, built in 1251
and combining elements such as Arabic striped stonework and Greek
Corinthian columns with a structure which is distinctly Selçuk, its tall
doorway surmounted by a pointed stalactite arch. Inside, the symmetrical
design of the dome of stars forms a perfect backdrop for the Selçuk
ceramics on display, which are covered with striking images of birds,
animals and even angels. Behind its fine Selçuk portal the Ince Minare
Medrese , below the park on Alâeddin Bulvara, is also now a museum,
featuring stone and woodcarving, with exhibits from the palace on the
present site of the Alâeddin Parka, but is currently closed for
restoration. The other museum worthy of note is the Museum of Archeology
(Tues-Sun 8am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm; $1) in the south of the city,
containing the only pre-Selçuk remains in the city, including a few
Hittite artefacts and three well-preserved Roman sarcophagi from
Pamphylia.
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