Meram Vineyards, Meram, Konya, Turkey
“MERAM” which means “purpose, demand, aim, objective” is one of the three central districts of Konya. It is used in proverbs as in” Meramın elinden bir şey kurtulmaz (Meram is the strongest medicine)”, or in idioms as “Meramını anlatmak, merak etmek (to express one’s problem)”. Evliya Chalabi, while talking about the gardens and orchards, uses the expression “Bağ-ı Meram” in his Seyahatname. He even compares these to Konya’s Meram. “Baruthane gardens of Pechevi, the Sudak orchard of Crimea, more than seventy-five hundred gardens and rosaries of Istanbul, the Shah-i Jihanbagh of Tabriz are worth nothing in comparison with Meram’s garden.” There is parallelism between the history of Konya and Meram. In history, Konya was ruled by Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians and Persians. Konya, seized by Alexander the Great and the Romans, became the capital of the Seljuks. Then, in Konya, the Karamanid rule was followed by the Ottoman sovereignty. The Meram District was established on 26.06.1987 by the law approved by the Turkish Parliament which elevated Konya to the status of metropolis. After completing the foundation works, Meram district started to exist as of August 08, 1988. Meram is located in the south and south west of Konya. It is surrounded by Selçuklu to the north; Çumra, Akören and Bozkir to the south, Beysehir and Seydisehir to the west and Karatay to the east. The north and west of the town are surrounded by mountains and hills, and the south is wide open plains. The irrigation water need of the district is provided from Altınapa Dam. Meram Vineyards: It is a famous recreation area 8 km from Konya city center and near Meram watercourse. There are Hasbeyoğlu Mosque, Bath and Dar’ülhuffaz (Health complex) and Tavusbaba tomb from the Seljuk period in Meram. Kızılviran Inn: It is on Konya-Beysehir highway and it is 44 km. from the provincial center. An inn with winter and summer sections. Çayırbağı. Dere, Dutlukırı and Ordu Çeşmesi, Hatip, Gökyurt Villages (Gilistra) are among the places frequented by local and foreign tourists with its water, nature and air. Yemin Forest: Yamin Forest, which is the result of the afforestation works carried out during the Republican Period on the hill where the Tavusbaba tomb is located, has picnic places and 2 separate recreation facilities. Archaeological Museum: Artifacts from the Neolithic, Early Bronze, Hittite, Phrygian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum opened in 1962.
There are artifacts found in the excavations at Çatalhüyük, Canhasan, Erbaa Sızma, Karahuyuk and Alaeddin Hill exhibited in Archaeological Museum which is located next to the Sahipata Camii. Atatürk Museum: Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s house which he honored during his visit to Konya was given as a present to him in 1928. In this house turned into a museum in 1964, Ataturk’s clothes, special items, photographs and documents are shown. Sırçalı Madrasah Museum: It is in Gazialemşah quarter. It is a beautiful example of Madrasah with a yard. Bedrettin Muslik built it in 1242 for teaching Fiqh.
Epic Turkey Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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