18.07.2026 13:00
Within the scope of the Türkiye Culture Road Festival organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Konya opened its doors for the 5th time between July 18-26. During the 9-day festival, 148 events will be held at 11 different locations, ranging from exhibitions to Sema ceremonies; artists such as Ebru Yaşar, Sefo, Kıraç, and Mert Demir will give free concerts.
Konya, the eleventh stop of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will host the festival for the fifth time between July 18 and July 26. Over nine days, the festival will welcome visitors with a rich program spanning concerts, exhibitions, theater, and children's activities across 148 events. It brings together Mevlana's legacy, the ancient traces of Çatalhöyük, and Seljuk culture with art, while also offering the opportunity to explore Konya's gastronomic wealth at 53 Flavor Points.
148 EVENTS AT 11 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS The opening program was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı, Konya Governor İbrahim Akın, Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay, Türkiye Culture Route Festival General Director Selim Terzi, the provincial protocol, and many art enthusiasts.
Speaking at the opening, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı stated that Konya is one of the ancient cities known throughout history for science, wisdom, and civilization, and emphasized that with its historical accumulation from Çatalhöyük to the Seljuks, and from the Ottomans to the Republic, the city holds an exceptional position that unites the past and future, culture and spirituality. He noted that the universal legacy of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, which calls humanity to love, tolerance, and unity, continues to be one of the most important values shaping Konya's cultural identity.
Reminding that Konya is hosting the Türkiye Culture Route Festival for the fifth time, Yazgı stated that with 148 events at 11 different locations within the festival, the city's historical sites will come to life again through culture and art. He expressed that the program, ranging from concerts at Kılıçarslan City Square to exhibitions at the Mevlana Museum and Karatay Madrasa, as well as hands-on traditional art workshops and interviews, will bring Konya's deep-rooted cultural heritage together with visitors of all ages.
Yazgı emphasized that the Türkiye Culture Route Festival is not just an organization consisting of cultural and artistic events, but also an important platform that brings the cultural accumulation of cities to wider audiences, supports cultural tourism, and revitalizes the city's economy. Pointing out that the mobility created during the festival will contribute to Konya's social and economic life in many areas, from tradespeople to the accommodation sector, and from gastronomy to cultural tourism, Yazgı said, "The Konya Culture Route Festival will best embody the meanings of the slogans 'There is a Festival in the City' and 'We are Together in Konya'; it will bring the deep-rooted cultural and artistic heritage of this ancient city to wider audiences."
KONYA'S TRADITIONAL ARTS MEET THE FESTIVAL Following the opening program, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı and his accompanying delegation visited the "Living Heritage: Konya" exhibition hosted at the Karatay Culture Center. Walking through the exhibition, which brings together outstanding examples of traditional handicrafts, Yazgı examined the works and received information about the ongoing efforts. Later, as part of the program, Yazgı visited the Miniature Workshop held at the Karatay Culture Center and met with the artists. Examining the intricacies of the traditional art of miniature on site, Yazgı noted that the hands-on workshops conducted within the festival make significant contributions to preserving cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations.
53 FLAVOR POINTS PROMOTE KONYA'S GASTRONOMIC HERITAGE The 53 Flavor Points created within the festival will introduce visitors to Konya's deep-rooted culinary culture from the Seljuk era to the present. The gastronomy route, spread across the districts of Meram, Karatay, and Selçuklu, will offer a rich selection ranging from the city's iconic flavors such as etli ekmek (meat bread), fırın kebabı (oven kebab), bamya çorbası (okra soup), tirit, Mevlana şekeri (Mevlana candy), and höşmerim (a type of dessert) to traditional local restaurants and dessert spots. The project, which aims to make local businesses visible and promote Konya's gastronomic heritage sustainably, will be one of the key stops of the festival experience.
In the festival's gastronomy program, MasterChef judge and Chef Somer Sivrioğlu will serve as the host, while guest chefs Eren Kaşıkçı, Yılmaz Seçim, and Beyza Huri Aydın, along with gastronomy writer Ebru Erke, will participate in the gastronomy programs organized within the festival, visiting the Flavor Points on July 18-19 to introduce Konya's gastronomic heritage to wider audiences.
FESTIVAL EXCITEMENT FOR NINE DAYS As part of the festival, free concerts at Kılıçarslan City Square will bring together music lovers with Ebru Yaşar, Sinan Akçıl, Sefo, Kıraç, Özcan Deniz, Serkan Kaya, Fatma Turgut, Mert Demir, and Simge. Additionally, the program will feature the concert "In the Footsteps of Minstrels, On the Path of Lovers: Opera in Anatolia," Sema Rituals, a Turkish Classical Music recital, the program "Boundless Conversations with Züleyha," and the theater play "Murder to Death" for art enthusiasts. During the festival, at the Children's Village set up in Kültür Park, children will meet culture and art; while creative workshops, digital experience areas, traditional games, Karagöz shadow play activities, and a VR Balloon Tour will bring festival excitement to all age groups. The PhotoMarathon Konya and PhotoMarathon Children's events will also be among the prominent highlights of the festival program.
HISTORY, ART, AND GASTRONOMY MEET ON THE SAME ROUTE Within the scope of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, the events to be held in Konya will meet art lovers all around the city with a rich content appealing to all age groups, from concerts to theater, from Sema Rituals to exhibitions, from traditional art workshops to interviews, and from gastronomy programs to children's activities. The festival will continue to welcome visitors in Konya's museums, historical squares, and cultural stops until July 26 with a comprehensive program that brings together history, culture, art, and gastronomy.