Dictionary of islamic architecture

See also:
Istanbul, Ottomans, Topkapi Palace
Further reading:
N.Sakiroglu, 
Kayseri Evleri,
Istanbul 1952.
D.Erginbas;, 
Diyabakir Evleri,
Istanbul 1954.
L.Eser, 
Kütahya Evleri,
Istanbul 1955.
E.Esin, ‘An eighteenth century yali’, in 
Second
International Congress of Turkish Art,
Naples 1965.
G.Goodwin, 
A History of Ottoman Architecture,
London
1971: chap. 11, ‘The Ottoman House’, 428–53.
E.Kömürcüoglu, 
Ankara Evleri,
Istanbul 1950.
Konya (Byzantine: Iconium)
City in southern Anatolia (Turkey) which was the capital
of the Anatolian Seljuks now famous as the home of the
whirling Dervishes.
Konya was established as capital in 1084 after the
defeat of the Byzantines at Myriakefalon and just
before the recapture of Iznik from the Crusaders.
During the Byzantine period Iconium had been one
of the richest Anatolian cities, a prosperity which
was continued under Seljuk rule. In 1258 Konya was
taken by the Mongols although it was later
recaptured by the Karramanli Turks who continued
to build in the Seljuk tradition. In the fifteenth
century Konya was incorporated into the growing
Ottoman Empire and became a regional capital.
The oldest mosque in Konya is the Alaeddin
Cami built by the Seljuk sultan Alattin Keykubat
between 1219 and 1221. This building stands on a
hill in the centre of the city next to the remains of
the Alaeddin palace. Within the mosque courtyard
is an octagonal mausoleum with a tall conical
(pyramid-shaped) dome which contains the
remains of eight Seljuk sultans. In common with
other Seljuk buildings in Konya, the entrances to
the courtyard and prayer hall are surrounded by
elaborate marble interlace patterns. The prayer hall
is covered with a flat wooden roof supported by
over forty Byzantine and classical columns. Other
important Seljuk mosques in Konya include the
Sahib Ata Mosque, the Iplikçili Mosque and the Ince
Minareli. The Ince Minareli Mosque also has a
madrassa with one of the most striking entrance
façades in Seljuk architecture. This consists of a
small pointed-arched doorway recessed within a
huge stone frame which is covered with ornamental
calligraphy. Two bands of calligraphy start either
side of the doorway arch, cross over, run parallel
up the centre of the portal and again cross over at
the top. The edges of the frame are also decorated
kiosk (köshk)

---

155
with calligraphic ornament whilst the areas in
between are covered with stylized vegetal motifs.
The Sahib Ata Cami also has a monumental portal
consisting of a small pointed doorway set within a
deep recess covered within a fourteen-tier muqarnas
hood and flanked by bands of geometric motifs and
calligraphic bands. The doorway is set between the
bases of two minarets only one of which has survived
as a fluted stump decorated with star patterns. Little
remains of the Seljuk palaces of Konya although
excavations have recovered architectural fragments
indicating a rich artistic reper-toire, including glazed
tiles, stucco work and carved stone ornament. The
decoration is noticeable for its rich figural content
including depictions of birds, horses, mythical
beasts and human figures. The tiles consist of eight-
pointed star-shaped panels set between cross-
shaped tiles.
The city’s religious importance can be traced to
the Sufi mystical poet Jalal al-Din Rumi who died
in Konya in 1273. Jalal al-Din’s tomb is the most
famous building in Kenya and forms part of a
complex known as the Mevlana Masjid which
included a mosque, madrassa, kitchen and
semahane, or dance hall. The tomb itself is covered
with a conical dome resting on a tall fluted
cylindrical drum. The outside of the tomb and drum
are covered in green tiles which distinguish it from
the lead-covered roofs of the rest of the complex.
Most of the complex with the exception of the tomb
itself dates from the reign of Suleyman the
Magnificent who added the mosque and dance hall.
Next to the Mevlana complex is the Selimiye Cami
commissioned by Sultan Selim II and designed by
the famous architect Sinan. The mosque is unusual
for the period as it has no courtyard.