Konya

Konyais a major city in centralTurkey, on the southwestern edge of theCentral Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital ofKonya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known asIconium.  In 19th-century accounts of the city in English its name is usually speltKoniaorKoniah. In the late medieval period, Konya was the capital of theSeljuk Turks'Sultanate of Rum, from where the sultans ruled over Anatolia.
As of 2023, the population of the Metropolitan Province was just over 2.3 million, making it thesixth most populous city in Turkey, and second most populous of theCentral Anatolia Region, afterAnkara. Konya is served byTCDDhigh-speed train (YHT) services fromIstanbul,AnkaraandKaraman. The local airport (Konya Havalimanı, KYA) is served by frequent flights fromIstanbulwhereas flights to and fromİzmirare offered few times a week.
Konya is believed to correspond to theLate Bronze AgetoponymIkkuwaniyaknown fromHittiterecords.This placename is regarded asLuwianin origin.Duringclassical antiquityand themedieval periodit was known asἸκόνιον(Ikónion) inGreekand asIconiuminLatin.
Afolk etymologyholds that the nameIkónionwas derived fromεἰκών('icon'), referring to anancient Greeklegendaccording to which the heroPerseusvanquished the native population with an image of the "GorgonMedusa's head" before founding the city.
Konya was known asDârülmülkto theRum Seljuks.
The Konya region has been inhabited since the third millennium BC and fell at different times under the rule ofthe Hittites,the Phrygians, theGreeks, thePersiansand theRomans. In the 11th century theSeljuk Turksconquered the area and began ruling over itsRûm(Byzantine Greek) inhabitants, making Konya the capital of their newSultanate of Rum. Under the Seljuks, the city reached the height of its wealth and influence. Following their demise, Konya came under the rule of theKaramanids, before being taken over by theOttoman Empirein the 15th century. After theTurkish War of Independencethe city became part of the modern Republic of Turkey.
Excavations have shown that the region was inhabited during the LateCopper Age, around 3000 BC.
ThePhrygiansestablished their kingdom in centralAnatoliain the eighth century BC andXenophondescribes Iconium (as the city was originally called) as the last city of Phrygia. The region was overwhelmed byCimmerianinvadersc.690 BC. Later it formed part of thePersian Empire, untilDarius IIIwas defeated byAlexander the Greatin 333 BC. Alexander's empire broke up shortly after his death and the town came under the rule ofSeleucus I Nicator.
During theHellenistic periodthe town was ruled by the kings ofPergamon. AsAttalus III, the last king of Pergamon, was about to die without an heir, he bequeathed his kingdom to theRoman Republic. Once incorporated into theRoman Empire, under emperorClaudius, the city's name was changed to Claudiconium. During the reign of emperorHadrianusit was known as Colonia Aelia Hadriana.
Paul andSilasprobably visited Konya during Paul'sSecond Missionary Journeyin about AD 50,as well as near the beginning of hisThird Missionary Journeyseveral years later.
According to theapocryphalActs of Paul and Thecla, Iconium was also the birthplace ofSaint Thecla, who saved the city from attack by theIsauriansin 354.
Under theByzantine Empire, the city became the seat of a bishop, and inc.370was raised to the status of ametropolitan seeforLycaonia, withSaint Amphilochiusas the first metropolitan bishop.In the 7th century it became part of theAnatolic Themeand was, together with the nearby (Caballa)Kaballah Fortress(Turkish:Gevale Kalesi) (location) a frequent target ofArabattacks during theArab–Byzantine warsin the eighth to tenth century,being captured by Arabs in 723–724.The rebellious generalAndronikos Doukasused the Kaballah fortress as his base in 905–906.During the tenth or eleventh century the church of Saint Amphilochius was constructed inside the citadel of Kaballa, housing the tomb of the saint which the Turks later believed to be the tomb ofPlato, renaming the church to Eflâtun Mescidi (mosque of Plato).The monastery ofSaint Chariton, another local from Iconium, was located a few miles away inSylata.
TheSeljuk Turksfirst raided the areain 1069, but a period of chaos overwhelmed Anatolia after the Seljuk victory in theBattle of Manzikertin 1071, and theNormanmercenary leaderRoussel de Bailleulrose in revolt at Iconium. The city was finally conquered by the Seljuks in 1084.
Iconium became the second capital of theSeljukSultanate of Rumafter thefall of Nicaeauntil 1243.It was briefly occupied by the army of theFirst Crusade(August 1097) andFrederick Barbarossa(May 18, 1190) after theBattle of Iconium (1190). The area was reoccupied by the Turks after the Crusaders left.
Konya reached the height of its wealth and influence in the second half of the 12th century when the Seljuk sultans of Rum also subdued theAnatolian beyliksto their east, especially that of theDanishmends, thus establishing their rule over virtually all of easternAnatolia,. They also acquired several port towns along theMediterranean(includingAlanya) and theBlack Sea(includingSinop) and even gained a brief foothold inSudak,Crimea. This golden age lasted until the first decades of the 13th century.
ManyPersiansandPersianised TurksfromPersiaandCentral Asiamigrated to Anatolian cities either to flee theinvading Mongolsor to benefit from the opportunities for educated Muslims in a newly established kingdom.
Following the fall of theAnatolian Seljuk Sultanatein 1307, Konya became the capital of theKaramanids, aTurkish beylik, which lasted until 1322 when the city was captured by the neighbouringBeylik of Karamanoğlu. In 1420, the Beylik of Karamanoğlu fell to theOttoman Empireand, in 1453, Konya was made the provincial capital of theKaraman Eyalet.
UnderOttomanrule, Konya was administered by theSultan's sons (Şehzade), starting with Şehzade Mustafa andŞehzade Cem(the sons of SultanMehmed II), and continuing with the future SultanSelim II.
Between 1483 and 1864, Konya was the administrative capital of theKaraman Eyalet. During the reformingTanzimatperiod, it became the seat of the largerVilayet of Konyawhich replaced the Karaman Eyalet, as part of the newvilayetsystem introduced in 1864.
In 1832 Anatolia was invaded byMehmed Ali PaşaofKavalawhose son,İbrahim Paşa, occupied Konya. Although he was driven out with the help of the European powers, Konya went into a decline after this, as described by the British traveller, William Hamilton, who visited in 1837 and found a scene 'of destruction and decay', as he recorded in hisResearches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia,  published in 1842.
Konya's textile and mining industries flourished under the Ottomans.
During theTurkish War of Independence(1919–1922) Konya was a majorair base. In 1922, the air force, renamed as the Inspectorate of Air Forces,was headquartered in Konya.Before 1923, 4,000 Orthodox,Turkish-speakingand Greek-speaking Christians lived there. The Greek community numbered approximately 2,500 people who maintained, at their own expense, a church, a boys' school and a girls' school.
In 1923 during thepopulation exchange between Greece and Turkey, theGreeksof the nearby village of Sille were forced to leave as refugees and resettle inGreece.
The first local administration in Konya was founded in 1830 and converted into a municipality in 1876.In March 1989, the municipality became a Metropolitan Municipality. As of that date, Konya had three central district municipalities (Meram, Selçuklu, Karatay) and a Metropolitan Municipality.
Home to several industrial parks. The city ranks among theAnatolian Tigers.In 2012 exports from Konya reached 130 countries.A number of Turkish industrial conglomerates, such as Bera (ex Kombassan) Holding, have their headquarters in Konya.
While agriculture-based industries play a role, the city's economy has evolved into a center for the manufacturing of components for the automotive industry; machinery manufacturing; agricultural tools; casting; plastic paints and chemicals; construction materials; paper and packaging; processed foods; textiles; and leather.
Turkey's largestsolar farmis located 20 miles east of the city, nearKarapınar.
Konya sits in the center of the largest province, in the largest plain (Konya Plain), and is the seventh most heavily populated city in Turkey.
The city is in the southern part of theCentral Anatolia Regionwith the southernmost side of the province hemmed in by theTaurus Mountains.
Konya has a coldsemi-arid climate(BSk) under theKöppenclassificationand a temperatecontinental(Dc) climate under theTrewarthaclassification.
Summer daytime temperatures average 30 °C (86 °F), although summer nights are cool. The highest temperature recorded in Konya was 40.9 °C (106 °F) on 14 August 2023, closely beating the former record of 40.6 °C (105 °F) on 30 July 2000. Winters average −4.2 °C (24 °F), and the lowest temperature recorded was −26.5 °C (−16 °F) on 6 February 1972.  Precipitation levels are low and happen mainly in winter and spring.
Konya has a reputation for being one of the more religiously conservative metropolitan centres in Turkey.
Konya was the final home ofRumi(Mevlana), whose turquoise-domed tomb in the city is its primary tourist attraction. In 1273, Rumi's followers established theMevleviSufiorder ofIslamand became known as theWhirling Dervishes.
Every Saturday, there are Whirling Dervish performances (semas) at the Mevlana Cultural Centre. Unlike some of the commercial performances staged in cities like Istanbul, these are genuinely spiritual sessions.
Expensive, richly patterned Konyacarpetswere exported to Europe during theRenaissanceand were draped over furniture to show off the wealth and status of their owners. They often crop up incontemporary oil paintingsas symbols of the wealth of the painter's clients.
One of the city's best-known dishes,etli ekmekconsists of slices of lamb served on flaps of soft white bread.Konya is also known for unfeasibly longpides(Turkish pizzas) intended to be shared, andtirit, a traditional rice dish made from meat and assorted vegetables.
Konya is also known for its sweets, includingcezerye, an old Turkish sweet made from carrots, andpişmaniye, which is similar to American cotton candy.
The city's football teamKonyasporis part of theTurkish Professional Football League. On May 31, 2017, they won their first national trophy, beatingİstanbul Başakşehirto theTürkiye Kupasıin a penalty shootout. They repeated this success on August 6, 2017, defeatingBeşiktaşto win theTürkiye Süper Kupası(Turkish Super Bowl).
Konya Metropolitan Stadium(Konya Büyükşehir Stadyumu)  is in the Selçuklu neighbourhood and can seat up to 42,000 spectators.
The city hosted the2022 Islamic Solidarity Gamesin August 2022.
Founded in 1975,Selçuk Universityhad the largest number of students (76,080) of any public university in Turkey during the 2008–09 academic year.The other public university,Necmettin Erbakan University, was established in Konya in 2010.
Private colleges in Konya include the KTO Karatay University.
Konya hosts theAnatolian EagleTactical Training Centre for training NATO Allies and friendly Air Forces.
The central bus station has connections to a range of destinations, includingIstanbul,Ankaraandİzmir. It is connected to the town centre by a tram.
TheKonya Tramnetwork is 41 km (25 mi) long and has two lines with 41 stations. Opened in 1992, it was expanded in 1996 and 2015. TheKonya TramusesŠkoda 28 Tvehicles.
Work began on building aKonya Metroin 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2024 and will have 22 stations.
Konya also has an extensive inner-city bus network.
Konya is connected toAnkara,Eskişehir,IstanbulandKaramanvia thehigh-speed railway servicesof theTurkish State Railways.
Konya Airport(KYA) is a publicairportbut also a militaryairbaseused byNATO. The Third Air Wingof the 1st Air Force Commandis based at theKonya Air Base. The wing controls the fourBoeing 737 AEW&CPeace Eagle aircraft of theTurkish Air Force.
Konya istwinnedwith:
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