Konya Mevlana Guide

Konya is the city of dervishes, and since 800 years. The hotel is about three hours drive south of Ankara, it is a very old city, its roots go back to Hittite period. Today it is the most religiously conservative city in Turkey - and proud of it.

During the 12th and 13 Century, the city of Konya, the capital of the Seljuk Turks and advanced quickly into a major cultural center.

The only famous sight in Konya is the mausoleum of Jamal ad-Din Rumi, also known as Mevlana. He founded the order of whirling Dervishes. The order was banned in the late 1920ies but also for tourists are still dancers perform.

On the way from Ankara to Konya you past the famous lake of Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake). The lake is very flat, 1-2m deep in some parts of winter and no water in the summer time. The dried salt makes a huges white surfaces and you can walk across it in the summer in the north.