Aksehir, to the northwest, is known throughout Turkey as the birthplace of the 13th century humorist Nasrettin Hoca, whose mausoleum stands in the town. The 13th century Ulu Mosque and the Altinkale Mescidi are other monuments worth seeing; the Sahip Ata Mausoleum has been converted into the town's museum. On the way south to Beysehir stop at Eflatun Pinar next to the lake to see this unusual Hittite monumental fountain. Several interesting Seljuk buildings are scattered around lovely Beysehir, on the shores of Turkey's third largest lake, Beysehir Lake. Among the monuments are the Esrefoglu Mosque and Medrese, and the Kubad-Abad Summer Palace across the lake. Another medieval palace stands on Kizkalesi Island, opposite the Kubad-Abad palace. Catalhoyuk , 45 km south of Konya, is a fascinating Neolithic site dating from the eight millennium B.C., which makes it one of the world's oldest towns. Archaeologists have determined that holes in the roofs of the mud houses were the entrance doors. Ankara's Museum of Anatolian Civilizations displays the famous temple, mother-goddess figures and Neolithic frescoes from the site. At Ivriz, a Hittite site 168 km east of Konya, you can see one of Turkey's finest neo-Hittite reliefs of a king and fertility god.

Nasreddin Hodja is a great and famous folk philosopher whose memory has become a legend. His anecdotes which are verbally transmitted at everywhere where Turkish is spoken is popular among all classes and levels of people. They also were transmitted to the everyday language of countries which are neighbors of Turkey. Azarbaijan, Clans of Caucasia, Creama and Idil vicinity, Turkistan and the lands of Türkmenistan and Kyrgysistan are among them. The fame of Nasrettin Hoca is slowly spreading all over the world and his anecdotes are being translated into numerous languages.

Riding the donkey backwards

One day Nasreddin Hodja got on his donkey the wrong way, facing towards the back.
- Hodja the people said, you are sitting on your donkey backwards!
- No, he replied. It's not that I am sitting on the donkey backwards, the donkeys facing the wrong way.

What if it should!

One day Hodja was washing his yogurt pot and pouring yoghurt remained in it into lake. Some people wanted to make fun of him when they saw him,
- Hodja, what are you doing?" One of them asked.
- I am turning the lake into yogurt" Hodja replied.
- Can a little bit of yeast ferment the great lake? The man asked while others laughed at Hodja.
- You never know perhaps it might, Hodja replied, but what if it should!

Ask him!

One of his friends asks Hodja:
-Hodja, how many meters is the world?
At the same time, people were carrying a coffin with a death man inside toward the cemetery. Hodja, by pointing the coffin, said
-Ask him! Look, he had measured, calculated and he is going now!..

The skill of turban

A man brought a letter to the Hodja:
- Hodja, could you read this letter?
Hodja looked at the letter which was all in arabic. He was unable to read and give it back to man.
- Take this to someone else, i couldn't read. said the Hodja.
- How come? you are wearing the turban of a learned man yet you can't read a letter...
The Hodja took off his turban and placed it in front of the man
- Ok, if it is skill of a turban, put it on and read your letter yourself!

My word or the word of my donkey

One day the Hodja answered a knock at his door and found that it was one of his neighbours, whom disliked particularly.
-Hodja Effendi, can I borrow your donkey for the day?
he wanted to know.
-Sorry, neigbour, replied the Hodja. Of course you could borrow it, if I had it here, but it is not in, just now.
Just then the donkey started to bray!
-I am surprised at you, Hodja Effendi! I can hear your
donkey bray, just when you say it's not in!.
-I am the one who is surprised; yes, and outraged too!
shouted the Hodja. ' A neigbour like you I'd rather not have, disbelieving my word, but believing that of my donkey!