Güneysınır Cisterns in Konya

Güneysınır is a district in Konya Province, Türkiye. Alongside its historical background, the district is known for its water cisterns located in both the town center and surrounding rural areas.

Located approximately 75 kilometers from Konya city center and 11 kilometers west of the Konya–Karaman D715 highway, the district center historically consisted of two settlements known as Karasınır and Elmasun during the Ottoman period. Records of both settlements appear in the 1531 Accounting Register and the 1584 cadastral surveys. Elmasun is also featured on various 19th-century maps prepared by Western geographers, including the 1851 Asia Minor map published by Tallis.

During the early Republican era, these settlements were initially connected to the Bozkır district, before being reassigned to Çumra in 1955. On May 9, 1990, Güneysınır officially gained district status through the merger of the towns of Güneybağ and Karasınır, along with the village of Emirhan. The district took its present form when administrative buildings were relocated to the area between the Karasınır and Güneybağ neighborhoods.

Archaeological findings, including pottery fragments, bricks, and metal remains uncovered from the mound locally known as “Gavur Hüyüğü” or “Güdelesin,” as well as from nearby villages, indicate that the region has been inhabited since early periods. According to Bilge Umar’s work Historical Names in Turkey, the name “Elmasun” is believed to derive from the Luwian language, which was widespread in Central Anatolia prior to the Hittites.

The name “Güneysınır” is formed by combining “Güney” (south), taken from Güneybağ, and “sınır” (border), from Karasınır. During the district’s establishment in 1990, the alternative name “Karabağ” was proposed; however, due to the existence of another settlement with the same name in the Cihanbeyli district, the name Güneysınır was adopted.

Güneysınır is notable for its historical water cisterns, located both in the town center and rural areas. Among the most prominent are the Emirhan Cisterns in the Aladiken region and the Çiçekli (Sarıoğlan) Cistern, situated approximately 2 kilometers from the district center and about 100 meters off the road leading to the Konya–Karaman highway. None of these cisterns bear inscriptions indicating their builders or construction dates. However, local accounts suggest that the Emirhan Cisterns were constructed in the early 20th century by immigrants who settled in the Aladiken region, while the Çiçekli Cistern was built in the 1940s by Mustafa Bağcı, known as “Çiçekli” from the Sarıoğlanlar community.

Today, these cisterns are largely unused and no longer contain water, with many of their reservoirs filled with debris. Built using rubble stone, cut stone, and spolia materials, the cisterns—especially those in Emirhan—show the reuse of earlier architectural elements. The presence of watering troughs suggests that they were used for watering animals in more recent times.

Although the cisterns in the Aladiken region have been significantly damaged, the relatively better-preserved Çiçekli Cistern has also lost its doors. In spring, the area around the cisterns becomes greener, and the Çiçekli Cistern is surrounded by flowers and acacia trees, creating a simple but pleasant view.