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From the modern center of Afyon, I walked to the historic part of the city. The old town has some of the most beautiful Ottoman homes in Turkey.
It’s best to just wander up and down the streets to admire the homes. A few have been turned into boutique hotels or restaurants serving authentic Ottoman or local dishes. On some of the streets, you’ll find yourself facing some incredible views of the rock.
Sultan Divani Mevlevi Lodge Museum
On my walk through the city, I visited the Sultan Divani Mevlevi Lodge Museum (Sultan Dîvânî Mevlevihâne Müzesi). It’s a Sufi complex dating back to the 13th century. Afyon was once second in importance for Sufis because Rumi’s son, Sultan Veled Çelebi, lived there. The complex was restored in 1908 by Sultan Abdülhamid II and is now a museum that should definitely be visited. Admission is 20₺ (as of August 2024).
The museum has the ubiquitous disturbing Sufi mannequins that you typically find in every Mevlevi lodge museum. The first part of the museum is in the former kitchen and shows how Sufis gathered to eat and prepare meals.
The second part of the building shows Sufis in their private cells, either praying, studying, or performing their ritual Sema ceremony.
The last part I visited was the mosque, where the Sema was performed.
Inside are the tombs of several Sufis, including the tomb of Sultan Divani (Sultan Dîvânî Türbesi).
Great Mosque
A few blocks away is the Afyon Great Mosque (Afyonkarahisar Ulu Cami), which is the most important mosque in the city. This exquisite work of Seljuk architecture has a flat wooden roof supported by 40 wooden columns. The minaret is made of brick with inlaid glazed decorations.
The Great Mosque was built between 1272 and 1273 by Hasan Nusretüddin. The architect was Emir Hac Bey. It was first restored in 1341 by Muinuddin Emir Abdullah Bey. The mosque is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia.
The caretaker of the mosque was the only friendly person I met in all of Afyon. He gave me a quick tour of the mosque and explained the history. It’s very impressive to see the columns and the wooden minbar, as well as the Quranic script around the mihrab. Click here for a virtual tour.
Ahmet’s Tomb
In front of the Great Mosque is a tomb of a man named Ahmet (Ahmet Türbesi). I don’t know anything about it.
After the Great Mosque, I climbed up to the castle, back down, and walked back to Victory Square. I had a quick bite to eat and went back to the bus terminal.
