Foundations of the Seljuk-Era Larende Gate Unearthed

 The foundation of one of the 12 gates of the castle built in Konya’s city centre during the reign of Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat has been uncovered through archaeological excavations.

The archaeological excavation titled “Konya Outer Castle Wall Line and Larende Gate” began last year in the city centre. The excavation is being carried out by the Museum Directorate with the support of Konya Metropolitan Municipality and the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The excavation, conducted in Sahipata Neighbourhood in the central Meram district, aims to reveal the city walls seen in drawings in historical sources and in photographs from the late 19th century. During the excavations, a 120-metre section of the 3-metre-wide walls built by Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat in 1221, along with an 11-metre-wide gate, was brought to light.

An 11-Metre Gate and 120 Metres of Walls Revealed

Approximately 120 metres of Konya’s outer city walls have been uncovered, and the foundations of Larende Gate have been reached in this area.

In this study, the outer wall line was identified and approximately 120 metres of it was exposed. At the site formerly known as Larende Hill, the foundation of Larende Gate, built by Sultan Alaaddin with the state budget, was uncovered as a whole. It is an 11-metre-wide gate. The walls are 3 metres wide and were entirely built with reused stones using the box-wall technique, with rubble filling inside. The exterior was faced with stone cladding. Remains of a moat and bridge piers were also reached. The excavation is ongoing.