Bursa is an interesting place with environs full of ancient treasures. There are plenty of ornate mosques and thermal baths and an excellent museum with a fine collection of archaeological finds from the region. A little further afield, the National Park and the beach on the Sea of Marmaris offer some great recreational pursuits.
Ottoman Tombs
The early Sultans of the Ottoman Empire are entombed in impressive mausoleums in Bursa and make up the cities key landmarks. The founders of the Ottoman State, Osman Bey and his son Orhan Bey who conquered this city are buried in a mausoleum, which lies on a terrace overlooking the city. Many Sultans and Princes were buried in the Muradiye cemetery. It is well worth seeing because they were laid to rest in the shade of a thousand year old plane trees surrounded by beautiful gardens.
Marvellous Mosques
The 15th century Muradiye Mosque lies next to the Muradiye cemetery, but there are two important mosques in this area, which should make everyone’s must see list; the first is the 14th century Ulu Cami or Grand Mosque in the town’s commercial centre close to the bazaars. It is not built according to the principles of typical Ottoman architecture yet it is magnificent in its design with some grand fountains before the mosque and an ornately carved wooden pulpit.
The second great mosque in this city is the Yeşil Cami, or “Green Mosque" located in the Yesil district. This is a site that you will not miss thanks to the mosques turqouise coloured mosque minaret. It was constructed during the rule of Sultan Mehmet I, noted second founder of the Ottoman state and his tomb lies inside the Yesil Turbe, which is adorned with colourful ceramics and carefully carved doors. The interior of the mosque as a whole is decorated with marble and glazed tiles, it is no wonder that this mosque has earned the title "Jewel of Bursa" because its external and internal beauty radiate throughout.
Roaming the Bazaars and Basking in the Turkish Baths
If you love shopping then browsing the bazaar on the Bedesten and the 15th century Koza Han Silk Maker’s Bazaar will excite you. They are both filled with bargains and a vast variety of products from soft furnishings ideal for your Turkish property or your place back home, fresh food, herbs and local spices to hardware and ironmongery. There are literally so many items to browse that even the most discerning shopaholics will lose themselves in this shopper’s heaven. The Turkish baths in Cekirge are also an experience not to be missed. They offer specialist massage as well as a cleansing process second to none. Cekirge is famed for its thermal waters and many Turks visit the subusrb to take advantage of its spa facilities. However, there is also a 14th century mosque, the Mosque of Murat I Hüdavendigar, which houses the mausoleum of its founder and some amazing Ottoman architecture.
Recreation
The Uludag National Park is located on the highest point in Western Anatolia, 22 km from Bursa and can be reached via a cable car or if you prefer you can drive to the summit in your own vehicle. The cable car stops half way to the top at the Kadiyayla alpine meadow, which lies at an altitude of around 1,000 m. As you travel to the summit known as Sarialan you pass through a variety of territories from densely growing evergreens scrub land and deciduous forestland to the alpine meadows much higher up. The area is filled with wildlife including vultures, golden eagles and many more mountain bird species. Ornithologists will have a field day here so be sure to take your binoculars. There are also plenty of colourful wild flowers including pink primroses. Not far from the town there is a beach in the town of Mudanya, which is located on the Gulf of Gemlik on the Sea Marmara. It can be reached rail and from here you can catch a boat to Istanbul.Mudanya is a major producer of olive oil and a renowned fishing town so check out the seafood restaurants. It is a great place to stroll around and take in some of the colourful old Ottoman architecture, which has been well maintained.
