The Tranquil and Peaceful Destination in Konya: Sille

Everyone who comes to Konya visits the Sille neighborhood, which is affiliated with the Selçuklu district. Visitors to the cafes in this settlement, where village life and city life are intertwined, are captivated. Moreover, there is almost a traveler influx to this settlement from all over the country.

Established at the foot of Mount Takkeli, an extinct volcano, Sille was the most populated settlement of the Greeks in Konya until the beginning of the 20th century. After Suleiman Shah conquered Konya in 1076, he settled the Greeks living in the castle in Sille. In 1916, the Greek community in Sille, where 3000 Greeks and 4000 Turks lived, spoke Turkish. The people of Sille lived in peace with the Greeks for a thousand years, and there was no problem between them.

According to the records of 1901, there were 30 mosques and masjids, 1 big church and 15 chapels in Sille. Hungarian traveler Bela Horvath, who came to the region in 1913, stated that “there were nearly 60 rock churches carved into the rocks during the early Christian period in Sille.” Today, the remains of many churches and chapels carved into the rocks and decorated with frescoes can be seen on the slopes around Sille.

Sille used to be a town famous for its waters, now even its vineyards are parched with thirst. During the Ottoman period, the Greeks brought water to the town from miles away and had fountains built. There are fountains from this period in the town.