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Bursa
Known as "Green Bursa", the city is filled with
gardens and parks and overlooks a verdant plain. It is at
the centre of an important fruit growing region. Bursa was,
and is still, famous for its silk trade, towel manufacture
and thermal springs. You must taste locally invented Iskender
Kebab, a dish of bread, tomato sauce, strips of grilled
meat, melted butter and yogurt. Candied chestnuts are another
regional specialty.
 A
tour of the city begins in the eastern section at the Yesil
Tьrbe (Green Mausoleum). Set in a garden and distinguished
by its paneling of blue tiles, the mausoleum holds the tiled
cenotaph of Sultan Mehmet I. Across the street, the Yesil
Mosque of 1424 reflects the new Ottoman, as opposed to the
Seljuk, aesthetic. A medrese nearby completes the complex,
which is also home to the Ethnography Museum. Before exploring
this area, stop for a glass of tea in one of the traditional
tea houses. Uphill, to the east, you pass by the Emir Sultan
Mosque in its delightful setting, and after walking through
a district of old houses you reach the Yildirim Beyazit
Mosque (1391).
Now make your way to Cumhuriyet Square (known locally as
Heykel) and stroll along Atatьrk Avenue to Koza Park
where outdoor cafes are set among flowers and fountains.
At the back of the park, a long building, the Koza Han (1490),
houses the trade in silk cocoons. From here you proceed
to the covered bazaar area, with its narrow streets, caravanserais
and bedesten. On the other side of Koza Park stands the
Orhan Gazi Mosque, built in 1413, and one of Bursa's oldest
religious buildings. Nearby, the large Ulu Mosque was constructed
in the Seljuk style. A finely carved walnut mimber and impressive
calligraphic panels decorate the mosque. The sadirvan (ablutions
fountain) lies amazingly within the mosque itself under
the ceiling of twenty domes.
Walking west from Ulu Mosque you arrive at Hisar, an old
and picturesque quarter of Bursa. In the park that overlooks
the valley are the mausoleums of Osman, the founder of the
Ottoman Empire, and his son Orhan Gazi, who commanded the
army that conquered Bursa. The cafes of Tophane offer a
good place to stop for refreshment. In nearby Ressamlar
Sokak (Painters' Street), local artists work in the open
air. At the Yildiz Park, Tea Gardens in the Muradiye quarter,
you get a superb view of the Muradiye Complex. The compound,
in a tranquil park-like setting, contains the Mosque of
Sultan Murat II (1426) built in the style of the Yesil Mosque
and the tombs of Murat II, Cem and Sehzade Mustafa. These
contain some of the loveliest decoration and tile work.
The nearby Ottoman House Museum in a restored l7th century
dwelling provides an interesting glimpse into the lives
of wealthy Ottomans.
A tour of the city begins in the eastern section at the
Yesil Tьrbe (Green Mausoleum). Set in a garden and
distinguished by its paneling of blue tiles, the mausoleum
holds the tiled cenotaph of Sultan Mehmet I. Across the
street, the Yesil Mosque of 1424 reflects the new Ottoman,
as opposed to the Seljuk, aesthetic. A medrese nearby completes
the complex, which is also home to the Ethnography Museum.
Before exploring this area, stop for a glass of tea in one
of the traditional tea houses. Uphill, to the east, you
pass by the Emir Sultan Mosque in its delightful setting,
and after walking through a district of old houses you reach
the Yildirim Beyazit (1391). Other places of interest in
Bursa include the Culture Park with the Bursa Archaeological
Museum, and the Atatьrk Museum on the road to Зekirge.
The western suburb of Зekirge has been known since
Roman times for its warm, mineral rich springs. Many modem
hotels have thermal bath facilities and you can also visit
the old hamams. Yeni Kaplica (New Spring) was built by Sьleyman
the Magnificent Grand Vizier, Rьstem Pasa, in 1552.
The Eski Kaplica (Old Spring), built on the site of the
original Byzantine baths, is the oldest bath. The Karamustafa
Pasa baths are reputed to have the best hot mineral water
in Bursa. Buildings of interest in Зekirge include
the Mosque and Mausoleum of Murat I and the tomb of Sьleyman
Зelebi, a religious poet. The monument to Karagцz
commemorates the character whose humorous antics are immortalized
in Turkish shadow puppet theater.
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