Konya

Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During ancient history and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in English its name is usually spelt Konia or Koniah. In the Late Middle Ages, Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Turks' Sultanate of Rum, from where the sultans ruled over Anatolia. Today it is the spiritual centre of the Mevlevi Order, famous for its Whirling Dervishes. As of 2024, the population of the Metropolitan Province was 2,330,024. 1,433,861 live in the three urban districts (Karatay, Selcuklu, Meram), making Konya the sixth most populous city in Turkey, and second most populous of the Central Anatolia Region, after Ankara. The city is served by TCDD high-speed train (YHT) services from Istanbul, Ankara and Karaman. The local airport (Konya Havalimanı, KYA) is served by frequent flights from Istanbul whereas flights to and from İzmir are offered several times a week.