Alaeddin Hill and Alaeddin Mosque

Alaeddin Hill and Alaeddin Mosque

Alâeddin Hill is a historically significant archaeological site that dates back 3,000 years to the Early Bronze Age. The site has a rich history, having been inhabited by the Hittite Empire in 1190 BCE before passing on to the Phrygians, then the Lydian Kingdom in 547 BC, and ultimately being conquered by the Achaemenid Empire.

During the Eastern Roman Empire's peak, Iconion served as the administrative seat for several large towns and villages, and its fortifications were reconstructed around an expanded hilltop perimeter.

Alaeddin Hill and Alaeddin Mosque

The Alâeddin Mosque is one of the most notable surviving buildings in this part of the city, featuring striking cupolas atop its structure. Completed in 1220, the mosque was named after Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I. The mosque resembles a miniature palace when viewed from the north and includes worship rooms, tombs, and courtyards. It is important to note that the mosque is made up of three distinct parts, each with its own unique characteristics.

To the south of the hill was a neighborhood where Greek and Armenian communities lived until the beginning of the 20th century. Sadly, the adjacent churches of these communities were lost in the 1920s and have since been replaced by an army headquarters.

Near the mosque, there is a fountain and water reservoir built by Konya Governor Ferit Pasha in 1908. On the part of the hill overlooking the Mevlana Complex, there is the Martyrs' Monument, built in 1936.