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Before the Ottomans ruled Konya, the city was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm, a powerful empire that dominated Anatolia for nearly 300 years.
The Seljuks arrived in Konya and made it their capital in the late 11th century. They left several architectural treasures, mainly in the form of mosques and religious schools.
Kılıçarslan Palace
I started at the Alaeddin Mosque at the top of a hill, Alaeddin Hill (Alâeddin Tepesi). It’s the most important Seljuk building in the city. Just outside of the gate to the mosque is a ruin with an ugly protective cover. This is the Kılıçarslan Palace (Kılıçarslan Sarayı), the remains of the Seljuk palace built by Kılıçarslan II.
Karatay Madrasa
Across the street on the north side of the hill is the Karatay Madrasa (Karatay Medresesi), a religious school built in 1251 by Celaleddin Karatay. It now houses the Karatay Tile Works Museum (Karatay Çini Eserler Müzesi). It’s well worth visiting the museum to see the tiles and the renovation of the building. It was a pleasant surprise. Admission for foreigners is €3 (as of August 2024) and it’s open daily.
Ince Minareli Madrasa
Following the hill to the west side is another former religious school, the Ince Minareli Madrasa (İnce Minareli Medrese), literally the “Thin Minaret Madrasa”. It was built in 1279 by Sâhib Ata Fahreddin Ali. It houses a Seljuk and Ottoman stone and wooden artifact museum, which is currently closed to the public and under restoration (as of August 2024).
One of the most impressive features of the madrasa is the ornate entrance portal. It features Quranic script carved into the stone from floor to ceiling.
The museum isn’t as impressive as the Karatay, but the renovation is nicely done and the collection is interesting. I especially liked the wooden doors.
Sırçalı Madrasa
To the south of the hill mixed into the backstreets is the Sırçalı Madrasa (Sırçalı Medrese), which translates to “Glazed Madrasa”. It was a religious school built in 1242 by Bedrettin Muslih.
The madrasa now houses a tombstone museum but is currently closed to the public and under restoration (as of August 2024). I was only able to walk around the courtyard. The bright blue Quranic script aligning the walls is stunning.
Sahib-i Ata Mosque Complex
A short walk south from the Sırçalı Madrasa is the Sahib-i Ata Mosque Complex (Sahib-i Ata Külliyesi). The mosque was originally built in 1285 by Sâhib Ata, a vizier of the Sultanate of Rum. It was destroyed by a fire in 1871 and rebuilt.
Attached is the Sahib-i Ata Foundation Museum (Sahib-i Ata Vakıf Müzesi). The museum was originally part of the mosque complex built in 1285. It was restored and is now a very interesting museum of religious artifacts and ethnographic items. It’s open daily and admission is free (as of August 2024), but it’s currently closed for restoration.
The museum also contains some nicely restored tombs belonging to Sahib Ata and his family. The tile work is phenomenal. Click here for a virtual tour.
