MUSEUMS OF KONYA
Konya
Archaeological Museum :
Archaeological
findings from Konya and its surrounding region are exhibited
in the Archaeological Museum which is situated to the
west of the Sahipata Kulliye in Konya. In 1963 the museum
moved to a new building and the objects are exhibited
in the following pavillions :
1
- Pavillion of Gravestones, Sarcophagi and inscriptions:
There
are grave steles, sacrificial altars, and statues of lions
and people from the Roman period (I-IV centuries AD);
masonry, sarcophagi and inscriptions from the classic
period; and stone objects from the Byzantine period exhibited
in the museum garden and the colonnades opening onto the
garden. Their place of origin is generally not known.
You enter the enclosed rooms of the museum through the
garden.
2
- Pavillion of the Classic Period:
In this pavillion are inscriptions, statues, building
stones, sarcophagi, clay, metal and glass Objects etc.
found in the region of Lycaonia, Konya (Iconium), Bozkir
(Isauria), Yalvac (Antiochia), Aksehir (Philomeleum.),
Eregli (Heraclea), Ambar Koyu (Sidamara), Karaman (Laranda),
Ladik (Laodikeia), Hatunsaray (Lystra), and Yunuslar.
Among the most important of the exhibits is a marble Roman
sarcophagus decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the twelve
labors of Hercules. It dates from the III century AD.
It was found in 1958 near to Yunuslar Village.
3
- Excavation Finds :
In the other rooms and show cases of the museum are various
clay objects, pottery, stone objects and seals, statuettes,
ornaments etc. dating from the Prehistoric age and the
Hittite and Phrygian periods. They were found at Catalhoyuk.
Can Hasan, Sizma and Kara-hoyuk.
Konya
Archaeological Museum is important for the light it throws
on the pre-Seljuk periods and the art and culture of the
pre-lslamic periods in Konya and the surrounding region.
Karatay
Medrese - Ceramic Museum :
In
1955 the Karatay Medrese in Konya was repaired and turned
into the Ceramic Museum. The Seljuk Emir Celaleddin Karatay
built the Karatay Medrese in 1251. It has a beautiful
portal made of sky and white marble. The portal leads
into a formerly domed entrance from which you enter the
Medrese.
Wall
tiles and porcelain dishes from the Seljuk, Beylik and
Ottoman periods are exhibited in cases in the hall, exedra
and in the recently restored vaulted and domed students'
rooms of the Medrese :
1
- Seljuk period wall tiles:
Wall tiles from Seljuk buildings in Konya are exhibited
in showcases to the right of the entrance. Turquoise six
sided tile panels taken from the Nalinci Baba (Nizamiye)
Medrese in Konya (XIII century), examples of mosaic wall
tiles, and carved, damascened and relief tiles with both
motifs and inscriptions make up a rich collection of tiles.
2
- Seljuk Palace Tiles :
In 1941 there are excavations in the neighborhood of the
Seljuk Palace situated on the northern slope of Alaeddin
Hill in Konya. It was built by Sultan Kilic Arslan II
(1156-1192). Various tiles decorated the walls of the
Palace. Among them are over glazed tiles, most of them
gilded, with figures and designs.
3
- Porcelain :
As well as Seljuk porcelain lamps, plates, jugs etc. there
are two separate collections of turquoise and cream colored
Seljuk plates and dishes. There is also Seljuk and Ottoman
porcelain in the wall niches and wall panels.
4
- Kubab-abad Palace wall tiles :
The best examples of wall tiles in the museum are those
from Kubad-abad.
Kubad-abad
is situated on the western shore of Beysehir Lake. It
is near the present village of Hoyran. This palace was
built in this beautiful spot by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin
Keykubad I. He had the walls decorated with tiles showing
pictures, designs and inscriptions. The tiles were found
during excavations in 1949, and from 1965 to 1967.
The
tiles are decorated with Seljuk motifs and inscriptions,
and pictures of people and animals in various colours
in the lustre and under glaze techniques, and are in the
shape of crosses, half crosses, octagons, stars and squares.
Bowls and dishes, glass and metal items and stucco decorations
etc. which were found along with the tiles are also on
exhibit. The Kubab-abad Tiles are the finest examples
of representational Turkish tiling.
5
- Tiles from the Beylik and Ottoman periods:
In the other show cases of the hall of the Medrese are
examples of Turkish tiling illustrating its development
after the Seljuk period.
Museum
of Seljuk Period Stone and Wood Carving :
The
Inceminare Dar'ul Hadis was turned into the Museum of
Seljuk Period Stone and Wood Carving.
The
Seljuk Grand Vizier Sahip-Ata Fahreddin built the Inceminare
Dar'ul Hadis in 1267. The architect Keluk designed it.
The Dar'ul Hadis has a magnificent stone portal and a
brick minaret decorated with tiles.The rooms had been
demolished. They were restored in recent years.
In
the courtyard of Inceminare are fine examples of gravestones,
inscriptions, and building stones from the Seljuk and
Karamanogullari periods found in Konya.
In
the rooms of the museum are figurative stone decorations
from Konya Castle. The Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad
I in 1221 built the castle. Among the most interesting
of these are bas-reliefs depicting a two-headed eagle,
a winged angel, a dragon, a harpy, a fish, an elephant
and rhinoceros, lions and people. In the showcases are
representational, patterned and inscribed stucco relieves
from the interior decorations of the Konya Seljuk House.
Exhibited
in the exedra of Inceminare are windows and doors, lecterns
etc. taken from Seljuk and Beylik period buildings in
Konya, Ottoman period chests of drawers, and other wooden
works of art. Of particular interest are the doors and
windows from the Beyhekim Mescid (XIII century).
