| Konya citadel | |
|---|---|
Konya citadel | |
.jpg) The walls ofKonya, built and decorated byKayqubad I, incorporated many Greco-Roman Classical elements.Voyage de l'Asie Mineure,Léon de Laborde, 1838.[1] | |
 Interactive map of Konya citadel | |
| Former names | Konya citadel |
| General information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Architectural style | Seljuk |
| Location | Konya,Turkey |
| Coordinates | 37°52′21″N32°29′31″E / 37.87250°N 32.49194°E /37.87250; 32.49194 |
| Completed | 1220s |
TheKonya citadel refers to the defensive walls surrounding the center of the city ofKonya in Turkey, encircling the area now called "Alaaddin Hill".[2] The walls were built in the early 1220s byKayqubad I (r.1220–1237) of theSultanate of Rum.[3]
The Konya citadel protected the administrative, residential, and ceremonial center of the city, including the olderAlaeddin Mosque and theSeljuk palace of Konya which was fused with part of the wall of the citadel.[2]
A weaker citadel called theZindankale functioned as outer protective belt for the city itself.[2]
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The citadel incorporated many western decorative elements, such as a statue ofHercules, a frieze from a Roman sarcophagus, courtly scenes with seated figures in toga, winged deities around the figure of the sun, mixed with inscriptions in Arabic.[5] It would seem that such symbolism mixing Western and Eastern elements was mostly derived from the influence of theArtuqids, who were adept at combining Classical and Perso-Islamic approaches.[6]
The walls no longer exist.[7] Almost nothing remains to this day, apart from a few sculpture pieces found in museums, such as theInce Minare Museum in Konya.
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{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Konya, where the citadel atop the old city mound, today's Alaeddin Tepesi, must have served more as an administrative, residential, and ceremonial center, as it did not protect the city from outside attack because it lay not at the edge, but in its center. It is likely for this reason that Sultan 'Ala' al-Din Kayqubadh, while rebuilding the citadel and city walls, added the so-called Zindankale, a smaller citadel enclosure astride the walls.
The Alaeddin Camii, which was built at the same time as the city and citadel walls of Konya in 1220
In some cases—such as the sultan's well-known city walls in Konya—there appears to be, at first sight, an antiquarian penchant for the "classical" or "Roman" past (fig. 1). (...) Nevertheless, the portrait's classicizing aspect is important in that it resonates with the use of spoliated classical sculpture in the walls of Konya (fig. 1). (...) Kayqubad's walls in Konya. (...) above the statue of Hercules was a reused Roman sarcophagus frieze carved in high relief; the latter featured a courtly scene with a seated figure wearing a toga and holding an orb ("a ball, the symbol of the world" according to Kinneir). Above this image was an Arabic inscription and then winged "genies" making offerings to the "sun" (as described by Olivier).
As I will argue below, in addition to obvious "Western" links, Kayqubad was also inspired by sources further "East," such as the Artuqids of Hisn Kaifa and Amid (1102-1232), which combining Classical and Perso-Islamic impulses, seemed better suited as models. In fact, upon closer examination, these pagan/secular Roman imperial ("Western") signs seemed to be infused with mystical/Sufi ("Eastern") readings that imbued them with new meaning. Most significant was the emergence of an unexpected undercurrent of light symbolism.
