Bursa

Area: 11.043 km²

Population: 2.125.140 (2000)

Traffic Code: 16

Bursa is located in the northwest of the Anatolian peninsula and southeast of the Marmara Sea. The shores of the Marmara Sea are 135 km away. The most important peak in the province is Uludağ, which is a ski resort and national park. The most significant lakes are lake Iznik and Uluabat.

Districts: Nilüfer, Yıldırım, Osman Gazi, Büyük Orhan, Gemlik, Gürsu, Harmancık, İnegöl, İznik, Karacabey, Kales, Kestel, Mudanya, Mustafa Kemal Paşa, Orhaneli, Orhangazi and Yenişehir are the district of Bursa province.

How to Get
Bursa takes advantage of the vast land and sea transportation offered by its location. It’s air transportation has the potential for expansion.

Highway: Bursa coach station is 10km from city center. There are also connections to other cities from Bursa.

Coach Station Tel. : (+90-224) 261 54 00

Railway Station: Tel : (+90-224) 482 35 00

Maritimes: The sea transporation in Bursa is carried out through Gemlik and Mudanya piers. Both piers are approximately 30km from Bursa. Sea Transit: Boats leave from the Gemlik and Mudanya docks.

Harbour Tel : (+90-224) 544 30 60

Air Travel: There are two airports in Bursa: Bursa and Yenişehir. Bursa airport is 8km from the city center:Bursa-Yenişehir airport.

Airport Tel : (+90-224) 246 50 01 - 773 00 64

Museums
The Museum of 17th century Ottoman Houses

The wooden house in the neighborhood of Muradiye across from the Murad II mosque complex bears all the characteristics of a house planned and decorated in the 17th century and is one of the oldest houses in Bursa and without question the most beautiful. It has a vaulted hall opening onto the garden and a basement consisting of two low-ceilinged rooms that were used for winter storage. On the upper floor in what was called the head room, there is an elegant decor with a magnificent wooden cabinet with intricate engravings of flowers and plants and the wooden ceiling decorated with geometric shapes and a six-sided ceiling centerpiece, which reflect the characteristics and beauty of 17th century decorations.

Museum Tel : (+90-224) 222 08 68

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept monday

The Archeological Museum

The museum was first established in 1904 in the Bursa by boys Highschool and was called the Imperial Museum (Hümayun). From 1972 to the present the museum has been located inside the Cultural Park. With many exhibits found in the region of Bithynia and Mysia, it has a cross-section of cultural items from as early as the 3rd millenium BC to the end of the Byzantine era. The most important exhibits are the fired clay ceramics found in the Yortan Graves in the region of Balıkesir (3rd century BC), the stone cutting instruments and bronze hand axes (2nd century BC) and the clay jugs and brooches from the Phrygian era and a Phrygian inscription. In the same display, there two very rare stele in Persian and Greek.

The second salon has stone items from the Roman era. Items of interest here include portrait sculpture of the 2nd century AD and several depictions of the gods: busts of Zeus and some reliefs, reliefs of Herakles and statues of Cybele as well as a altar of Asklepios.

The third salon is an exhibit of items from the classical era. There is a chronological exhibit of ceramic items from the Archaic, Classic, Roman and Byzantine periods. There is also a rich detailed selection of clay figurines and glass-ware from the Roman era taken from the museums collection. Other rare items include a bronze bust of Apollon and a statue of Athena, both of which are Roman.

The fourth salon is a chronological display of coins issued by the cities in the Bithynia and Mysia regions, along with gold and silver coins of the Roman and Byzantine Empires. In the garden are busts of Herakles and Zeus, a lion statue and a rich collection of grave and altar steles. Especially interesting is an exhibition of the finest examples of tomb steles, of Early Roman to Late Byzantine, and sarcophagi belonging to the same age which can be seen here.

Tel : (+90-224) 234 49 18-9

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept monday

The Museum of Türk-İslam Art (Yeşil Medrese)

It was one of the first Ottoman religious schools, the Yeşil Medrese is also known as the Sultaniye Medresesi. A number of famous scholars were trained here in this school, which, along with the Yeşil Külliyesi (mosque complex), was constructed by the architect, Hacı İvaz Paşa, in between 1414 and 1424. It is very similar in design to the religious schools of the Anatolian Selçuks with their open courtyards. The school has 13 rooms with one main vaulted porch (eyvan), two side porches and an entrance porch. In front of the classrooms is a portico which surrounds the courtyard on three sides.

In the building items from the 12th to the 20th century are on display and include ceramics, metal, wood carvings, weapons, hand-written documents, Islamic coins and inscriptions, as well as grave stones and ethnographic items. The ceramic tile decorations in the school are not as abundant as those in the mosque and tomb. The areas decorated with ceramic tile are the vault above the entrance and the ceiling and outer surface of the western vaulted porch.

Tel : (+90-224) 327 76 79

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept monday

Atatürk Museum

This building, which Atatürk stayed in upon his visits to Bursa, was given to him as a gift and he donated it to the city of Bursa in 1938. This two-story building made entirely of wood at the beginning of the 19th century is one of the era’s best and most interesting examples of civil architecture. It looks today exactly as it did when it was built. Located on Çekirge street next to the Çelik Palas Hotel, the museum has items that Atatürk himself used and the upper floor, called the ‘limonluk’ room has a display of photographs of Atatürk.

Tel : (+90-224) 236 48 44

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept monday

Hüsnü Züber House Museum

In the neighborhood of Muradiya, it was first used as a State Guesthouse and then became the Russian Consulate. The 19th century Ottoman house was opened to tourists in 1992. The museum has an extensive collection of branded and burned wood pieces with Ottoman motifs made by the artist Hüsnü Züber.

Müze Tel : (+90-224) 221 35 42

Open hours to visit : 10.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday

The Forestry Museum

The first and only Forestry museum in Turkey, it is known as the Watch Mansion and is located on Çekirge Street. Opened in 1989, there are around 2000 items on display including plant and animal fossils, forestry and communication devices, maps and photographs and documents regarding the history of forestry.

Müze Tel : (+90-224) 234 77 18

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept sunday

Mudanya Mütareke House Museum

The site of the cease-fire agreement signed on October 11 between the government of the Turkish Republic and the Allied forces which brought the Turkish - Greek War to an end, the 19th century house on the coastal road to Mudanya has been used as a museum since 1937. The Art Nouveo style house contains a number of documents and other items related to the War of Independence and the Armistice..

Müze Tel : (+90-224) 544 10 68

Open hours to visit : 08.00-12.00/13.00-17.00

Open days to visit : Everyday exept sunday

Baths
Yeşil Baths: The bath, found beside the Yeşil Tomb, were built in during the reign of Fatih by Türbedar Köse Ali Paşa (Sofu Bedrettin) for the purpose of providing income for the school.

Yıldırım Baths: Located beside the Yıldırım Mosque, these baths were built in 1390 by Sultan Bayezid.

Emir Sultan Baths: Situated beside the Emir Sultan Mosque, the baths were built in 1426 by Emir Sultan’s wife Hundi Sultan.

Muradiye Baths: Situated outside of the gardens of the Muradiye Mosque, the baths were built in 1426 by Sultan Murat II.

Inns
Emir (Bey) Han: Directly underneath the Ulu Mosque, it was built in the second half of the 14th century by Orhan Bey. In the middle of the han is a fountain used in the ritual absolutions and some very old sycamore trees.

Eski Yeni (Tahıl) Han: Located on Cumhuriyet Boulevard, it was built by one of Kanuni’s grand viziers, Semiz Alizade.

Geyve (Hacı İvaz-Payigah ) Han: Located beside the Demirkapı Market, this han was built in the 15th century by Ahi Bayezid’s son Hacı İvaz Paşa and given as a gift to Çelebi Mehmet. It was built to provide income for the Green (Yeşil) Mosque.

İpek (Silk) Han (Arabacılar): Next to the İvaz Paşa Mosque, it was built by Çelebi Mehmet as a source of income for the Yeşil Complex. It is the biggest han in Bursa. What started out as the congregating place of the silk tradesmen eventually becoming the gathering place of the carriage drivers.

Koza Han: Situated between the Ulu Mosque and Orhan Mosque, this han was built in 1490 by Bayezid II as a source of income for charities in Istanbul. It is the most beautiful han in Bursa and the most frequented. In the middle of the court there is a small mosque made of stone set on 8 pillars with a fountain for ritual cleansing underneath.

Pirinç Han: Sultan Bayezid II built it in 1508 as a means of providing income for charity foundations in Istanbul. There is an ancient sycamore tree in the courtyard.

Religious Monuments and Tombs
Yeşil Mosque ( Bursa), Yeşil (Çelebi Sultan Mehmet) Tomb, Ulu Mosque (Cami Kebir), Muradiye (Murat II) Mosque and the Muradiye Medresesi, Emir Sultan Mosque and Tomb, Yıldırım Mosque, Yıldırım Tomb, Yıldırım Complex, Yeşil Complex, the Tomb of Osman Gazi, the Tomb of Orhan Gazi, Muradiye (Murat II) Mosque, the Tomb of Hatuniye, the Tomb of Şehzade Mahmut, the Tomb of Şehzade Mustafa (Mustafa Cedid), the Tomb of Şehzade Mustafa (Ahmet) (Cem Sultan), The Tomb of Mükrime Hatun, the Tomb of Ara Mustafa Paşa, the Tomb of Hamzabey and the Orhan Bey Mosque.

Bursa Mosques and Tombs

Churches and Synagogues
Bursa is one of the provinces which has been the cradle of a number of civilizations and religious from the pre-Christian era to the present. There are many Christian, Jewish and Muslim structures still standing and now under government protection. The 17 church councils are so important for the Christian faith convened between 324 and 1563, eight of them were held in Turkey and the 1st and 7th were held in Iznik. Iznik is one of 8 different pilgrimage points in Turkey and the most important.

Geruş Synagogue: It was built by the Selim 2nd in the beginning of the 16th century. It is located on Arap Şükrü Street. The Jews exiled from Spain at the end of the 14th century and were put on galleons sent by the Ottoman Empire and given refuge. The first groups were settled in Bursa and this synagogue was built for them. The fact that this synagogue was called Gerush, which means ‘driven away’ in Hebrew, is very symbolic of their suffering.

The Geruş Synagogue is still in excellent shape today. It is well-maintained and open for worshippers. The medallions found on either side of the Ehal Akodesh cabinet, where the Torah is kept, have Hebraic inscriptions recording the construction date and the name of the master builder. There is no other inscription showing any other details of construction.

Ets Ahayim Synagogue: (The Tree of Life) It is a significant synagogue in that it is the first one built during the Ottoman period. A imperial edict made during the reign of Orhan Bey, the conqueror of Bursa, gave permission for the establishment of this synagogue.

Mayor Synagogue: The groups of Jews from the Spanish island of Mallorca who were offered refugee by the Ottoman Empire were settled in Bursa and built this synagogue. The name is derived from the name of the island from which they had come. The synagogue is presently open for events and the section reserved for the washing of the dead is still being used.

The French Church: Built of stone, the pulpit and mihrab are in separate small rooms. The church is covered with a roof of wood and clay tiles. There was a recovery room for the sick here. It is thought to have been built in the 19th century.

H. Georgios Church: (Gölyazı) Built in the second half of the 19th century, the church is a rectangle whose walls are built using alternating layers of brick and rubble. Part of the original wood structure remains.

The Church of Harmanlı Village: (Karacabey) Started in 1833, the building was not finished until 1903. Today the roof of the church is gone and many of the walls have fallen down.

İznik Church: (İznik) A rectangular church most likely built in the 7th century. There are 9 different sections in the church. The walls are made of stone and brick and the vaults in the ceiling are brick.

Koımesıs Tes Theotokos: (İznik) Koimesis means the ‘Death of Mary.’ The church is believed to have been built in the 8th century and gets its name from the frescoes portraying the death of Mary. The church was completely destroyed in 1922. Only the marble foundations remained.

The Church of St. Tryphonos: (İznik) It was built by the edict of Emperor T. Laskaris in the 8th century, it has a rectangular design with four supports in the shape of a Greek cross. The walls are built using the alternating technique, in which one layer of rubble is covered with two to four layers of brick. The column and column heading are marble.

The Church of Karakoca Village: (Karacabey) The church was built in 1847 in honor of Zoodochos Pege. Today little more than a ruin, the top level has completely fallen in.

Koımesıs Tes Theotokos: (Demirtaş) It was built in 1834 and converted to a mosque in 1924, the church is a basilica. The walls are made of brick and rubble.

The Church of H. Konstantınos: (Helena) (Gölyazı) Found on the Manastir Island in Lake Uluabat, the church was built in the 4th and 5th centuries. The walls of this Greek - cross type church are made of 5 levels of brick alternating with a level of rough cut stone.

The Church of Kumyaka: (Mudanya) The chuch was built in between 780-797 AD during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Konstantinos Porphyrogenetos IV, the church is a square with a large dome in the middle and 4 vaulted sides forming the shape of a cross . The walls are made of brick and stone and the roof is tile.

The Church of Michael Taxiarches: (Demirtaş) The church was built in the 19th century and turned into a mosque in 1948. It is a rectangular structure with a wooden ceiling. The inner walls made of rubble were taken out.

The Church of Mudanya: (Mudanya) It was built in 1834, the church is rectangular in shape. On the eastern side of the church there is a half-circle apse. The walls made of cut stone are covered in places with marble.

The Church of Theodoros: (Çalı) Two parts of this Byzantine structure remain here. One is the remains of a wall of a city of antiquity upon which a village was later constructed. The other is The Church of St. Theodoros. Little is known about this church.

Yıldırım Medresesi: (Religious School) Northwest of the Yıldırım Mosque, it was built by Bayezit in 1399. Entering from the door, one sees a domed porch with 3 sides. There are 8 vaulted rooms leading into the porches from the right and the left. There are rooms for the teachers (hoca) on both sides of the entrances. The side porches are connected to vaulted classrooms. After being restored the school was used as a dispensary.

Castles
Bursa Castle: Bursa Castle was in existence as early as the 1st century BC. Today the city walls are about 2 km long. There are two towers between Çakırhamam and Tophane, one of them round the other square. On the road leading to Tophane is the Castle Gate. There is a natural wall at the site of Topane, Tümen and the Art Institute all the way to Yıldız Kahve, in front of which is the Thermal Gate (Kaplıca). The wall continues from here to Dungeon Gate (Zindan). There are the remains of a prison here on either side of the wall. The best-preserved section of the wall is from this gate to Üftade. On the flat area from Pınarbaşı to Cilimboz brook, there is a double wall. In front of Pınarbaşı is the fourth city gate Spring Gate (Pınarbaşı). The fifth gate, Yer Gate, is at Üftade. The cave found under the walls is 79 m long, 5 m wide and 4 m high.

Yer Kapı: This gate is one of the city gates of Bursa and is located beside Üftade Mosque.

İznik Castle: The castle dates back to 258 BC. There are 4 gates in the castle: İstanbul, Yenişehir, Lefke and Göl, respectively. In addition to these, there are 12 secondary entrances. To strengthen the 4970 m long and 10-13 m tall walls, 114 towers were built along them. The old towers are round while the newer ones are square. There are also another 131 towers along the defensive line in front of the castle walls. The walls of Iznik have been often repaired with much of the rubble from the old city being used for this task. In the Byzantine era, in the strengthening of the walls against the Arab invaders a variety of materials were used. The reliefs on the Istanbul and Lefke Gates depict a battle of the 3rd century BC.

Lefke Gate: İznik’s eastern gate, it was built for Hadrian in the 2nd century. The gate is actually composed of 3 gates within one another.

İstanbul Gate: Built during the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasianus in the 3rd century AD, it has 3 gates side by side.

Yenişehir Gate: This is the city’s southern gate. It was built between 270-288 AD during the reign of Claudius. Today much of it is in ruins.

Bursa - Uludag National Park
Location: Uludag is 30km southeast of Bursa.

Transportation: A cable car makes the journey up to Uludag from Bursa to the Sarilan Plain, which takes around 20 minutes, and then a dolmus to the hotel area of the park. The mountain road, 34km from Bursa, is open throughout the year. There is also a private helicopter service from Istanbul which takes 25 minutes.

Highlights: Uludag (Great Mountain) is 2543m high, making it the highest point in the Marmara region, and the Aras Waterfalls and glaciers at the peak are its most interesting geographical features. The steep slopes mean that plant life varies widely between the Bursa plane and the peak, something which has been analised by botanical scientists and has made Uludag prominent around the world in this type of research.

The suitable conditions have also formed a habitat for many species of animal and bird life, like bears, wolves, jackals, foxes, roe deer, rabbits, pigs, partridges, wild pigeons, vultures, eagles, black kites, nightingales and goldcrests. The Bakacak watchtower at Cobankaya gives a great view over the surrounding area.

Between December and May, Uludag is covered with snow sometimes up to 4m deep, making it suitable for skiing, and it is one of the most popular winter sports centres in Turkey.

Facilities: Inside the park, Oteller Bolgesi (Hotel Area) has a good range of accommodation, and facilities for those wishing to ski. Camping is possible in the regions of Sarialan, Cobankaya and Kirazliyayla, and there are also tourist bungalows and huts.

Ornithology Areas
İznik Lake Bird Area, Uludağ Bird Area, Ulubat Gölü Bird Area and Kocaçay Delta are in Bursa.

Marmara Basin

Kocaçay Delta

Thermal Resorts
Vakıfbahçe (Çekirge) Thermal Springs: In the Çekirge neighborhood of Bursa, it is used by all the hotels in Çekirge, as well as the Military Hospital and the Çelik Palas. The bitter alkaline bicarbonate waters of this hot spring are used in bathing treatments for rheumatism, aching muscles, blood clots, diabetes, gout and disorders of the metabolic system. When drunk, it is good for liver and gall bladder conditions. Bademli Bahçe Thermal Springs: Between the center of Bursa and the neighborhood of Çekirge. There are 7 springs here. The Kükürtlü Hotel and the baths at Yeni Kaplıca, Kaynarca and Karamustafapaşa are connected to these springs. The water are sulphurous and radioactive. Bathing and drinking treatments have the same effects as was described above for the Vakıfbahçe springs. In addition the sulphurous waters are good for chronic infections and peripheral circulation.

Dümbüldek Thermal Springs: Located in the village of Akarca 19 km from Mustafakemalpaşa, it has hotels and baths operated by the local municipality.

The bath treatments are good for aches and pains and because it helps peripheral circulation it reduces wrinkling and is good for the appearance of the skin. When drunk, it is effective in treating liver, stomach, intestine, pancreas and gall bladder disorders.

Gemlik (Terme) Thermal Springs: On the Umurbey road south of Gemlik, it has a 68-bed hotel, a restaurant and a pool. The spring waters are good for rheumatism, nephritis, mental fatigue and cardiovascular conditions.

Armutlu Thermal Springs: In the district of Gemlik 4 km north of Armutlu Bucağı, it is situated in a valley of forest and scrub trees and there are a number of springs along the creek bed, the most important of which are the springs of Küpeli and Hamam. There is a 72-bed tourist hotel with a restaurant that seats 90 as well as a Turkish Bath. Permission has been granted for the building of a 3 star hotel with 108 beds at the site. The hot springs treatments include bathing, drinking and mud baths and are good for rheumatism, gout, nephritis, skin conditions and gynecological disorders.

Bursa Thermal Springs