Akşehir

Akşehir is a city of Konya Province in the Lakes District.

Understand

Statue of Nasreddin Hoca, Akşehir's most famous resident.

Dating back to the Hellenistic era when it was founded as Philomelion, Akşehir (meaning "White City") became an important city during the Seljuk era, as a center of Turco-Persian culture.

The city is best known as the home of Nasreddin Hoca or Mullah Nasruddin, a wise fool and Sufi sage famous for his folk wit. The city features in many of Hoca's stories, and holds a Hoca festival every year from July 5–10.

Get in

By bus

Buses run from the Konya bus station, and you may be able to catch a minibus/dolmuş from the center of Konya. It's possible that buses may also run to Isparta, Burdur, and Afyon, which are all nearby.

By train

As of 2023, passenger services are limited to the once daily Konya Mavi overnight train which runs between Izmir and Konya. Connections can be made in Konya to high-speed YHT trains from Ankara and Istanbul.

• 1 Akşehir railway station (Akşehir istasyonu) (2½ km northeast of the town centre). (updated Jul 2023)

See

Tomb of Nasreddin Hoca.

• Tomb of Nasreddin Hoca. There's apparently some controversy over whether or not this is actually his tomb. (updated Jul 2023)
• 1 Tomb of Seydi Mahmut. Another important Sufi, prominent disciple of Rumi. (updated Jul 2023)

Do

• Come between July 5–10 for the annual Hoca festival, and celebrate the life and legacy of the Hoca.

Connect

Akşehir and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Nov 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

• If you didn't come from Konya, consider going there, to visit the tomb of another Sufi sage (and poet): Rumi founder of the whirling dervishes.
• Otherwise, consider going further into the Lakes District, a little-explored area of Turkey.

Routes through Akşehir

Izmir ← Afyonkarahisar ←

W  E

→ Konya → Kayseri