The city formerly served as the capital of the Sultanate of Rum (Turkish: Anadolu Selçukluları).
It was during this time when Rumi, a well-known Persian poet and Sufi thinker, had migrated to Konya.
The area is comprised of a flat terrain, apart from the exception of a small hill at the centre of the city, called Alaattin Tepesi. It is believed that this artificial hill was built by the Seljuk dynasty, allowing the royals to look over the city from the top of the hill. The hill is currently used as a public park and serves as a spot for shade and relaxation.
Konya is also accessible by the TCDD high-speed train (YHT) services from Istanbul and Ankara, as well as through its airport (Konya Havalimanı, KYA) that offers flights from Istanbul.
