Bursa

The fourth largest city in Turkey, Bursa has a ton to offer visitors and makes for a great weekend destination.  Bursa’s location on a plane that stretches out in front of Mt Uludağ gave the city its nickname “the green city” and makes it a prime destination for skiing tourism in the winter months.  Its history as the first major Ottoman capital and structures that remain from that time earned Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2014.  Its thermal hot springs have also been attracting tourists since antiquity and, as the birthplace of the famous Iskender Kebab, Bursa has plenty to offer to foodies. Bursa also happens to be my grandfather’s hometown so I have a strong personal connection to the city and many fond memories of visiting family there! 

History

Bursa’s history stretches back to antiquity; its name comes from King Prusias of Bithynia who ruled in the 2nd century B.C.E.  Most of the historic structures you see today, however, are remnants of the Ottoman era.  The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by Osman Gazi (the English word Ottoman comes from the Turkish word Osmanlı, meaning “of Osman”) in the town of Söğüt, about 125 kms east of Bursa.  The Ottoman Turks quickly began expanding their territory in Anatolia and moved their capital to Bursa in 1335 after capturing the city from the Byzantine Empire.  Bursa only remained the capital until 1363 when it was moved to what is now Edirne, but it continued to be an important urban center for the Ottoman Empire.  Osman Gazi and his son Orhan, the second sultan of the Ottoman Empire, are both buried in Bursa, and many other sultans commissioned important buildings and complexes in Bursa that are still in use today.     

Getting there

Bursa is about 110kms south of Istanbul, on the other side of the Marmara Sea, and can be reached by car or ferry.  The new Osman Gazi bridge that spans the Izmit Bay, the longest suspension bridge in Turkey, significantly cut back on the drive time between Istanbul and Bursa, making the journey possible in just over two hours.  Driving from Istanbul to Bursa, however, still requires dealing with Istanbul traffic and paying a sizable toll to cross the bridge.  Taking a ferry between Yenikapı, on the historic peninsula of Istanbul, and Mudanya, just north of Bursa, can be an easier option.  The journey takes about 90 minutes and there are both passenger ferry and car ferry options.  Check out the ido website for ferry times and to purchase tickets.          

UNESCO Heritage Site

Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.  They were added because they illustrate the structure of an urban center in the early days of the Ottoman Empire.  The early sultans commissioned külliye complexes on the top of prominent hills in town that supported a neighborhood of citizens that built houses around the hill.  Each külliye consisted of a mosque, tomb, hamam (public bath), imaret (soup kitchen), and medrese (religious school).   The külliyes were also supported by nearby rural villages, or kızıklar.  Cumalıkızık was included as part of the UNESCO site because it is the best-preserved kızık.  Remnants of five different kulliye complexes still exist in Bursa.  

Key Sites and Activities

Many of the major historic sites in Bursa are clustered around the heykel neighborhood in the center of town, which makes them easy to explore on foot.  On my recent trip we had a taxi drop us off near Yeşil Cami and walked our way to Ulu Cami and the covered bazaar area before walking up to Tophane.  The whole adventure had an easy pace and took about 6 hours (with plenty of stops along the way).   

Ulu Cami

The late 14th-century Ulu Cami (great mosque) is the largest and most famous mosque in Bursa.  The building is comprised of twenty small domes and is unique for having an ablutions fountain inside the mosque.  Unlike some other iconic Ottoman mosques, the interior of Ulu Cami is not decorated with colorful tiles.  Instead, Ulu Cami has white walls that are covered in beautiful, recently-restored calligraphy.  Ulu Cami has two minarets that are a little chubbier than the pencil-thin minarets you see in Istanbul and on modern mosques in Turkey.

Orhan Cami

Located across the plaza from Ulu Cami, Orhan Cami is smaller than its more famous neighbor, but is about 60 years older.  This mosque was commissioned in the 14th century by the second Ottoman sultan, Orhan Gazi.  It is notable for being the first mosque to use the “inverted t-shape” that is typical of many Ottoman mosques.  The interior of the mosque is quite small and austere.  Check out the columns holding up the exterior porch of the mosque – you will notice a few columns that were repurposed from earlier Byzantine sites.       

Koza Han

Adjacent to Orhan Cami is the entrance to Koza Han, Bursa’s historic silk market.  This 15th-century building was originally a marketplace for silk cocoons (koza in Turkish).  (Fun fact, my great uncle ran a short-lived wholesale business out of Koza Han in the 1950s).  The building is still used as a market today, and the shops still mostly sell silk products.  If you are looking to buy a silk scarf in Turkey, this is the best place to do it (look for the Bursa Ipek brand).  You will also encounter a few shops selling some typical Turkish souvenirs.  The two story rectangular han has shops that face out onto a central courtyard.  The courtyard is home to several outdoor cafes as well as a small mescit in the center.  The quiet, shady courtyard is a good spot to rest and have a glass of tea after a few hours of siteseeing.

Covered Bazaar

One of the exits to Koza Han connects directly to the covered bazaar area of Bursa.  Bursa’s covered bazaar is a smaller and more functional version of its cousin in Istanbul, with some buildings dating back to the 14th century.  The market caters more to locals than tourists but offers plenty of opportunities to find a bargain.  In particular, it’s a great place to pick up Turkish towels for a good price.  The Özdilek brand, based in Bursa, is a family favorite.  Like many traditional bazaars, shops selling similar goods tend to be grouped together.  Some of the most common items sold in the covered bazaar are towels and other textiles, jewelry, and furniture.  There are also a handful of shops that sell typical Turkish souvenirs.  The streets outside of the roofed bazaar also teem with shops and stalls.  In one area you will find an extensive outdoor fruit and vegetables market.  Bursa is known for its candied chestnuts so you will find plenty shops selling these delicacies (Kafkas is the most well-known brand).  I’m not a fan, but people love them!  Even if you aren’t planning to buy anything, the bazaar area is a fun place to stroll around to appreciate the historic buildings and the hustle and bustle of market activity.              

LUNCH BREAK: ÇIÇEK IZGARA. Bursa is best known as the birthplace of iskender kebab, but my family always goes for a different regional specialty when we are in town: Inegöl köftesi. These delicious grilled meatballs originated in Inegöl, a city about 50 kms east of Bursa (and my grandmother’s hometown!). Çiçek Izgara, located in the heart of Bursa’s market area, makes some of the best köfte in town. The restaurant has been around for over 50 years and serves other grilled meats in addition to köfte. Look for the Çiçek izgara sign in the open square facing Orhan Cami.

Tophane

Tophane park is only a short walk from Ulu Cami and the bazaar area, but it is an uphill walk.  There is an escalator that allows you to cut through a portion of the hill, but you will have to walk the rest of the way.  The views from the park at the top are totally worth the walk though, trust me!  The park contains an Ottoman clock tower, the tombs of Osman and Orhan, and killer views of the Bursa valley and Mt. Uludag.  It’s a great place to rest after a day of sightseeing and has several cafes where you can do just that.  The tombs of Osman and Orhan (the founder of the Ottoman Empire and his son) are worth a quick visit.  Notice the floor in the Orhan Gazi tomb – you’ll see repurposed Byzantine mosaics.    

Yeşil külliye complex

The Yeşil külliye was established by Sultan Mehmet Çelebi in the 15th century.  It sits just east of the heykel neighborhood; it is an easy walk between the two sites.  This complex is a great example of the külliye system that helped make Bursa a UNESCO site: the mosque, tomb, hamam, medrese, and imaret are all still standing.  The mosque and tomb (Yeşil türbe) are both free to visit and open to the public.  The medrese was undergoing restoration when I most recently visited.  The imaret is currently used by the government of Bursa and the hamam is home to a tourist shop.  The mosque and the tomb both contain beautiful tile-work.  The green tiles in the mosque help explain how the complex got its name (yeşil means green in Turkish).  Like Ulu Cami, the mosque also has an indoor ablutions fountain, but it was not operating on my most recent visit.  I found the intricate stone carvings on the outdoor windows of the mosque to be particularly striking. 

Taking the Teleferik up Uludağ Mountain

Uludağ mountain towers over Bursa and some neighborhoods even creep up the sides of the mountain.  Uludağ is a pretty popular skiing destination for Turks in the winter, but it also attracts many tourists in summer months who come for hiking or camping.  The teleferik, or cable car system, that transports you to the top of Uludağ was completely overhauled in recent years.  The 8-person gondolas take you up the mountain in about 25 minutes and service three stations at the top.  You can catch the teleferik from the Teferrüç station in the Yildirim district of Bursa, east of the Yeşil district.  Visit the Bursa Teleferik website for operating hours and other information.  At the top of the mountain you will find restaurants, hotels, and skiing facilities.  You can either make a quick afternoon visit to Uludağ or stay and explore for several days!