We are heading north to Konya today after spending seven fabulous days in Antalya. Our drive to Konya will include several stops along the way. Our first stop is Side, which I will talk about in another post as it does not fit into this particular post. The second stop is Catalhoyuk, one of the first settlements of humanity, which dates back to 7400 BC. On our evening in Konya, we were able to get tickets to see the Whirling Dervish (a fascinating performance). We also visited the Archeological Museum and Mevlana Museum (mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic) the following morning. Lastly, visit a local bazaar. This post, “Konya What To See And Do, Five Great Must Do’s,” is our sixth in a series of posts. We document our adventures and visits as we travel across Turkey with ITT Group Turkey. We purchased this Turkey tour package while visiting Pamukkale.
A Bit Of History About Konya
Konya is one of the oldest urban centers in the world. Excavations in Alâeddin Hill in the middle of the city indicate settlements dating from at least the 3rd millennium BCE. Archaeology shows that the Konya area is one of the most ancient settlements of Anatolia. The results of excavations in Catalhöyük, Karahöyük, Cukurkent, and Kucukoy show the region was inhabited as far back as the Neolithic Period (Late Stone Age) of 7000 BC. Other settlers of Konya were; the Hittites, the Phrygians, the Lydians, the Persians, the Romans, and then Byzantines.
Konya What To See And Do, Five Great Must Do’s
Konya is not a place where many people visit, but it is on the way from the Mediterranean coast (Antalya) to the Cappadocia region. Both of these locations are immensely popular with tourists. The Mediterranean coast for its beaches, sunshine, warmth, and water sports. The Cappadocia area has incredible balloon rides that fly over the infamous fairy chimneys and out of this world landscape.
Konya does have many things to see and do; you need to look. Even if you are quickly passing through or intend to spend a couple of days. There is something to see and do no matter how much time you may or may not have. Within Konya city limits, there are bazaars, mosques, museums, etc. If passing through Konya, try stopping at one of the archeological sites nearby; Catalhöyük would be our choice as we stopped here and found it fascinating.
Five Great Must Do’s When Traveling To Konya
Our stay in Konya as part of our travels from Antalya to Cappadocia. Listed below are five activities that we feel are great must-dos if you visit or pass through Konya.
- 1. Stop and see Catalhöyük, a must
- 2. Arrange tickets to attend the Whirling Dervish
- 3. Visit the Konya archeological museum
- 4. Visit Mevlana Museum (mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a Persian Sufi mystic)
- 5. Shop at the local bazaar
- bonus: eat at Tarihi Tiriti Mithat. We had Tiriti, a casserole dish made of bread, yogurt, kebab meat, vegetables, and a tasty sauce.
Catalhöyük Believed To Be The First Settlement Of Mankind
Çatalhöyük is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Since the 1960s, excavations have uncovered a densely packed Neolithic (New Stone Age) settlement that dates back 9000 years. Today all that is visible on the surface of Çatalhöyük is two mounds: the smaller and more recent to the west of the site and the larger and more ancient to the east. However, scratch beneath the surface and the remnants of one of the most complex societies are revealed!
Catalhöyük is located southeast of Konya by about 50 km an hour’s drive. We were coming from Antalya and wanted to stop at Catalhöyük as this is a place we learned about when we visited the Archeological Museum in Antalya. Meral tried very hard to find information about the site as we didn’t know if it would be open by the time we arrived. As it turned out that there was only a security guard there, so hours were flexible, and the entrance cost was free.
Entering Catalhöyük, we were told that the east mound was closed to visitors because of ground movement issues. The east mound is the older of the two mounds; it dates back to 7400 BC. Luckily the west mount was open; it is not as old as it dates back to around 6000 BC. The walk to the west mound was extremely cold as the wind was hollowing, and the temperatures were sitting just above freezing.
Arriving in the covered building was a relief as the wind could not reach us here. Entering the building was like stepping back in time, a long, long way back in time. Inside, you can see many different digs showing the houses back then. Pits in the floor where they had buried their dead. Interestingly, the houses were entered from the top; there were no roads or walkways between them; they were set side by side. It is assumed that they were afraid of wild animals entering if the entrances were placed at ground level. Catalhöyük is a place that you need to see to better understand. After visiting the dig site, we headed to the mock house set up at the entrance.
Mock House And Museum At Catalhöyük
The mock house located at the entrance has two functions; first and foremost, it demonstrates what living and life would have been like over 8000 years ago. Secondly, the archeologist wants to determine the lifespan of these structures; it’s an ongoing experiment if you will. When entering these houses, one needs to remember that the actual entrance was on the top; the doors at ground level are only for easy access for visitors.
Inside these mock houses, you get a small sample of what life could have been like so many years ago. People took pride in their accomplishments by displaying the horns of animals that they may have killed. The paintings on the wall depict life as they saw it, struggles, and victories. The whole experience of being able to put yourself in the people of Catalhöyük’s shoes, if only for a moment, is a powerful experience. After visiting all four rooms, off to see the small museum.
Sitting in front of the museum is a replica of a statue found at Catalhöyük of the mother goddess. The Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük is a baked-clay, nude female form seated between feline-headed arm-rests. It is generally thought to depict a fleshy and fertile Mother goddess in the process of giving birth while seated on her throne.
We spent one hour here wandering around; we highly recommend visiting as this place is essential in the history of humanity as we are today.
Age Of Notable Sites:
- Göbekli Tepe: 9,500 to 8,000 BC
- Çatalhöyük: 7,500 BC to 6,400 BC
- Stonehendge: 3000 BC to 2000 BC
- Pyramids of Giza: 2,550 to 2,490 BC
Whirling Dervish Of Konya (map)
When visiting Turkey, you should see the Whirling Dervish (I would not recommend under age 13 as they need to sit quietly). Whirling dervish ceremonies were started as a form of meditation by Jalaluddin Rumi, the famous Sufi Muslim mystic and poet, in the 13th century. The ritual whirling of the dervishes (called Sema ceremony) is an act of love and a drama of faith, and its intention is to bring a person to a state of peace and love to the creator. The Sema ceremony represents a spiritual journey; the seeker’s turning toward God and truth, a maturing through love, the transformation of self as a way of union with God, and the return to life as the servant of all creation.
The origination of Whirling Dervish in the Mevlevi Order of Sufis is credited to Rumi, Sufi master, the creator of the Mevlevis. The story of the creation of this unique form of dhikr is that Rumi was walking through the town marketplace one day when he heard the rhythmic hammering of the goldbeater’s. It is believed that Rumi heard the dhikr, لا إله إلا الله “la ilaha ilallah” or in English, “There is no god but Allah” in the apprentice’s beating of the gold and was so entranced in happiness he stretched out both of his arms and started spinning in a circle (Sufi whirling). With that, the practice of Sama and the whirling dervishes of the Mevlevi order was born.
The significance of the dervishes’ clothing: They wear tall felt hats, white gowns with long skirts, and black capes that they remove. The hats represent tombstones, and the gowns are burial shrouds. The black capes are said to be the dirt of the grave.
The Whirling Dervish ceremony was founded in Konya and spread out from there during Ottoman rule. So to be able to see the Whirling Dervish in Konya was a memorable experience as the performance was not performed for the tourist but as an accurate rendition of faith. Meral was able to find our tickets to the Whirling Dervish after calling around and reaching out to fellow guides in the area. The building where the Whirling Dervish is performed in Konya is called İrfan Medeniyeti Araştırma ve Kültür Merkezi.We appreciated her effort as this was something that we did want to see. The Whirling Dervish ceremony started at 20:30 and lasts for about an hour.
The Sema ritual consists of the following parts
- It starts with the singing of the Nat-i-Serif, a eulogy to the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), who represents love. Praising him is praising the truth of God that he and all the prophets before him brought.
- Then follows the call of the drum and the slap of glory, calling the semazens to awaken and Be. This begins the procession known as the Sultan Veled Walk. It is the salutation of one soul to another, acknowledged by bowing.
- Then begins the Sema ritual itself. It consists of four selams or salutes. The first selam is the birth of truth by way of knowledge. The second selam expresses the rapture of witnessing the splendor of creation. The third selam is the transformation of rapture into love, the sacrifice of mind and self to love. It represents complete submission and communion with God. The fourth selam is the semazen’s coming to terms with his destiny and his return to his task in creation. In the fourth selam, the sheikh enters the circling dervishes, where he assumes the place of the sun in the center of the circling planets.
- The Sema ends with a reading from the Qur’an. The sheikh and dervishes complete their time together with the greeting of peace and then depart, accompanied by joyous music of their departure.
The above-stated parts of the Sema Ceremony were copied from https://www.allaboutturkey.com/dervis.html, and Babyboomerbudgettraveler wishes to give them any and all credit for the information displayed here.
Watching the Whirling Dervish ceremony was inspiring. It is incredible to watch these Dervishes perform the ceremony; it is truly mesmerizing and spiritually fulfilling. An experience that we will not forget we are grateful to have been able to attend.
Konya Archeological Museum (map)
Konya Archaeological Museum was established in 1901; it had been relocated twice before moving to its present location in 1962. Some of the most prominent displays in the museum are sarcophagi. They were located just inside the museum doors, these rival ones found in the Antalya Archeological Museum. Other antiquities here are from the ancient city of Çatalhöyük, located 50 km southeast of Konya. Other exhibits relate to the Neolithic, Bronze Age (old-Bronze and mid-Bronze periods), Iron Age (Phrygian and Urartu), Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods; artifacts consist of ceramic ware, stone and bronze wares, ornaments, and inscriptions. In the outer open yard of the museum, there are several small sculptures, sarcophagi, column heads, and epigraphy.
We took the opportunity to visit this museum and are grateful that we did. The sarcophagi found here are beautiful and in excellent condition; you can also find some mosaics on display. This museum has many objects from Çatalhöyük and collections that provide information about the site. We spent 90-minutes here, both wandering inside the museum and outside. We recommend stopping and visiting if you are in and around Konya; you will be pleasantly surprised at what you will find here.
What does it cost to visit the Konya Archeological Museum
- Admission 2 TL
Hours of operation
The museum is open to visitors between 10.00 – 17.00 in the summer and 08.00 – 16.50 in the winter season. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Mevlana Museum (mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, Sufi mystic) (map)
Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, more popularly known simply as Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet. Rumi’s influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions: Iranians, Tajiks, Turks, Greeks, Pashtuns, other Central Asian Muslims, and the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy for the past seven centuries. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats. Rumi has been described as the “most popular poet” and the “best selling poet” in the United States.
Rumi lived most of his life influenced by Persian society, where he produced his works, and died in 1273 AD. He was buried in Konya, and his shrine became a place of pilgrimage. Upon his death, his followers and his son Sultan Walad founded the Mevlevi Order, also known as the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, famous for the Sufi dance known as the Sama ceremony.
Mevlevi Order
Approximately 750 years old, the Mevlevi Order is a living tradition based on the teachings of Rumi, also known as Mevlana, who is perhaps Turkey’s most celebrated poet. He is also revered as a divine mystic within Sufi Islam. Rumi’s friend and spiritual mentor, Shams of Tabriz, is also revered within the order and within Sufism more widely.
Our Visit to Mevlana Museum
Our visit here starts at 9:30 am; it’s a sunny, cool morning. The grounds of this museum are impressive as they are extensive. Our guide Meral takes us through the exhibits; all are about Rumi in one form or another. There is so much here that we do not understand, but like everything else that we visit, we keep an open mind and want to be educated. Life and historical events in any country are an opportunity to broaden our understanding of the world and all of its cultures. This is why we travel.
We visit the kitchen as it is called, more of the grounds, and then it is off to visit the central part of the museum that holds the Tomb of Mervian. This is a unique place; there is so much to see, take in and understand. We are grateful to have our guide as she tries to explain what we are seeing. We spend about 90-minutes here, we are happy to have visited such a place. We are off to Cappadocia to hopefully ride the famous balloons that traverse the sunrise skies.
Visit Local Bazaars
The bazaars in Konya are like the bazaars you find everywhere; they are exciting to visit because you never know what you may find. They sell everything, from spices to food and that souvenir that you can’t live without. We always stop to look; we seldom purchase, even though I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for spices. I find spices keep giving long after you’ve left; the flavors or scents take you back to where you experienced that great meal, or the smells let you drift back to that unique location. I love spices; ask Cindy.
We seldom buy much as we travel light with our backpacks, and they do not afford the luxury of extra space for things that you do not need. Our advice to you is to go ahead and enter and experience the moment because you may never get another chance like the one in front of you. Have fun; nobody is watching.
Bonus: Eat At Tarihi Tiriti Mithat (Map)
This little gem was courtesy of our guide Meral, Tirit is one of the most popular dishes in Konya, and Tarihi Tiriti Mithat is the best place to experience it. Tirit is a very simple dish (made with cut-up flatbread, layered with yogurt, veal, spices, tomatoes, peppers, and cheese) but is packed with flavors; we really enjoyed our lunch here and can’t recommend it enough. Heads up, they only have two items on their menu, the Tirit and Zerde a dessert.
Chronological Timeline Of Turkey
| Paleolithic Age (Early Stone Age) 60,000 – 10,000 BCE | Mesolithic Age (Mid Stone Age) 10,000 – 8,500 BCE |
| Neolithic Age (Late Stone Age) 8,500 – 5,000 BCE | Chalcolithic Age (Copper Age) 5,000 – 3,000 BCE |
| Bronze Age 3,000 – 2,000 BCE | Hatti and Hurrian Civilization 2,500 – 2,000 BCE |
| Troy – II Settlement 2,500 – 2,000 BCE | Hatti and Hittite Principalities Period 2,000 – 1,750 BCE |
| Great Hittite Kingdom Hurri Civilization 1,750 – 1,200 BCE | Troy – VI Civilization 1,800 – 1,275 BCE |
| Aegean Migration and Invasion From Balkans 1,200 BCE | The Anatolian Principalities during the Iron Age 1,200 – 700 BCE |
| Urartu Civilization 900 – 600 BCE | The Civilization of Phrygia 750 – 300 BCE |
| Lydia, Caria and Lycia Civilizations 700 – 300 BCE | Ionian Civilization 1,050 – 300 BCE |
| Persian Conquest 545 – 333 BCE | Hellenistic And Roman Age 333 BCE – 395 |
| The Byzantine Civilization (Eastern Roman Empire) 330 – 1453 | The Seljuk Empire 1071 – 1300 |
| The Ottoman Empire 1299 – 1923 | The Republic of Turkey Since 1923 |
ITT Group Turkey
ITT Group Turkey is a Company that offers exceptional tour packages that can be customized to your specific needs, wants, and expectations. In this series of posts that you will be reading, we have teamed up with the ITT Group Turkey to highlight our travels throughout Turkey. What started out as a search for a transfer from Pamukkale to Fethiye has turned out to be so much more. The ITT Group Turkey pays great detail to customer satisfaction, meaning that they go out of their way to provide a high standard of service for a very competitive rate. ITT Group Turkey can customize a tour package for you, just let them know what you would like to see and do, it’s that easy.
Meral our tour guide for most of our travels would call ahead of our destinations to find restaurants that served a specific dish or find tickets to the Whirling Dervish when we stayed in Konya. My point is that your guide or driver will go out of their way to make your trip one of those life moments that will stay with you forever. All the small details are taken care of just sit back relax and enjoy your private guided tour.
We babyboomerbudgettraveler did not receive any form of compensation, we enjoyed our trip with ITT Group Turkey and would like others to have the same experience. If you follow one of our links to ITT Group Turkey and book using the phrase “3btraveler” you will receive a discount rate of a minimum of 5%.
How To Apply For Turkey eVisa
The Electronic Visa (e-Visa) Application System allows visitors traveling to Türkiye to quickly obtain their e-Visas online (www.evisa.gov.tr) in approximately three minutes. It is possible to obtain e-Visa 7/24 everywhere with an internet connection. After filling in the necessary information concerning their identity, passport, and travel dates, the applicants can obtain their visa and pay the visa fees online. It truly is that easy; We would recommend having a printed copy as well, just because.
Our Thoughts “Konya What To See And Do, Five Great Must Do’s”
- We enjoyed our travels and stay in Konya. Visiting Catalhöyük was the highlight because this site means so much to mankind, a close second would be watching the Whirling Dervish as they performed their ritual of the dance. The museum here we thought was good, small in size but large in content. If you are passing by Konya we would recommend stopping, we think that you would enjoy it.
Our Positives
- Visiting Catalhöyük is a tremendous site that dates back 9000 years ago, where else can you see that.
- Attending the Whirling Dervish performance as there is so much more than dance
- Visiting Mevlana Museum, was something completely different for us, a learning experience
- Konya Archeological museum, who doesn’t enjoy a museum full of ancient artifacts
- Lastly a terrific lunch, something that we had not tried before
Next Stop
Cindy and I, and Debbie my sister, are off to Cappadocia to hopefully ride a balloon. On the way, we will be stopping at several locations. We are somewhat concerned about the probability of riding a balloon as the weather does not seem to be cooperating. Winter conditions prevail in Cappadocia, snow, wind, and cold. We left Canada because of that stuff. We are looking at a backup plan that would see us leave Cappadocia and head to Mersin on the Mediterranean coast. Would return to Cappadocia in 10-days and maybe the weather might be better.
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Recommended Travel Essential
Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic, so we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable with our lifestyle. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.
- Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
- Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
- Living essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.
Accommodation Options While Traveling The World
- Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
- Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
- Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well
Travel Insurance
We always travel with travel Insurance, just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember, don’t travel, and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.
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