Bursa

About — Bursa

Bursa is reached from Istanbul in two ways: 2 hours by road over the Osmangazi Bridge, or 1 hour 45 minutes on the Yenikapi–Mudanya fast ferry (scenic, and children love it). Bursa's own airport at Yenisehir has no flights from the Gulf. The city sits at the foot of Uludag; the centre is Heykel and Osmangazi, thermal hotels are in Cekirge and ski hotels are at 1,800 metres on Uludag. A day trip is possible, but staying one night lets you enjoy Uludag and a thermal hammam at leisure.

What to see: the twenty domes and calligraphy panels of the Grand Mosque of 1399 (among Ottoman mosques, the one that impresses Gulf guests most), the turquoise-tiled Green Mosque and Green Tomb, the tombs of the Ottoman founders Osman and Orhan Gazi, and silk shopping at the 15th-century Koza Han. The Uludag cable car is Türkiye's longest (nearly 9 km) and reaches the summit in 25 minutes; sledging and skiing in winter, forest walks in summer. Cumalikizik village, with 700-year-old Ottoman houses, is UNESCO-listed and famous for its breakfast.

Family tips: Iskender kebab is eaten at Kebapci Iskender, run by the same family since 1867; queues form at lunchtime, so go before 12:00. Candied chestnuts and Bursa knives are the best gifts. Thermal hotels in Cekirge rent private family hammams by the hour. The Uludag summit is 15°C even in summer, so bring a cardigan; in winter the cable car can close for wind. Distances in the city are short but the slopes are steep, so a chauffeured vehicle is the most comfortable option with families.

City Guide — Bursa

Bursa is the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. Osman Bey, who was born in a town of Bursa, conquered the towns around Bursa in 1299, and this is the year regarded as the founding of the Ottoman Empire, which was to survive for over six hundred years (the word Ottoman is derived from his name, Osman). Bursa is located in the north-west of the Anatolian peninsula and south-east of the Sea of Marmara; the most important peak in the province is Uludag (the legendary Mount Olympus), which is a ski resort and national park. Uludag (2,543 m), 36 km south of Bursa, is one of the country's favourite winter sports centres; its richness of flora and fauna has made it into a national park, and summer activities like trekking and camping are also popular. It was previously known as Olympus Misios in ancient times and is known in mythology as the place where the gods watched the Trojan War. Ulucami (the Grand Mosque of Bursa) was constructed between 1396 and 1400 by Sultan Bayezit, fully of cut stone, with very thick and high walls, 12 heavy four-edged piers and 20 domes; it is the most classical and monumental example of multi-domed mosques and has the biggest interior (318 square metres) of all Turkish mosques. The Green (Yesil) Mosque, constructed between 1419 and 1420, is called the Green Mosque due to the green-turquoise tiles used in its adornments; it is one of the most important Ottoman-period structures in Bursa and is famous for its decoration even more than its architecture. The Green Tomb, the symbol of Bursa, is one of the most beautiful examples of Ottoman tomb architecture: an octagonal structure reached by a marble stair, covered by a lead dome perched on a high drum; it is unique for its tile adornments, its fully tile-covered balcony is a masterpiece, and its walnut door, made with the interlocking technique, adorned with geometrical motifs and bearing an inscription, is one of the most beautiful examples of Ottoman woodwork.