Bursa
If you’ve studied even a little bit of Ottoman history, you’ve probably heard of the city called Bursa. Located about 95 miles south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara, Bursa is a city that holds a lot of historical and spiritual importance in Turkey. Like many major Turkish cities, Bursa traces its roots to the Greek city of Cius or Kios. Cius was eventually given to the Bithynian king Prusias I who changed the city’s name to Prusa, which is where today’s Bursa got its name. The city was handed over to the Romans in 74 BC and was then inherited by the Byzantines centuries later. Prusa prospered under the reign of Justinian I and became the centre of silk production in the empire. In 1326, the Ottomans took Prusa and called it by its Turkish equivalent “Bursa”. The city was the first major capital of the Ottoman empire until 1413 when the Turks relocated the capital to Edirne. Still, Bursa would continue to prosper under Ottoman rule and just like with the Byzantines would be the empire’s centre for silk trade.
Bursa’s significance in Ottoman history can be seen as all of 14th century sultans starting with Osman, the founder of the empire, are buried there. The city’s two famous mosques, Ulu Camii and the Green Mosque, also demonstrate the evolution of Ottoman architecture. Built in 1399, Ulu Cami, or the “Grand Mosque”, is the city’s largest mosque. It has a whopping 20-dome roof and nice Ottoman-Baroque wall paintings and calligraphy. But what I love most about this mosque is the fact that it has a big running fountain in the centre with a water basin. I’ve never seen a mosque with a fountain inside and I really loved the ambience with the running water, it seemed very surreal. The Green Mosque is Bursa’s second oldest mosque. It’s smaller than Ulu Camii but it has this one feature that makes it worth visiting. When you enter the mosque, you will immediately be drawn to the mihrab, a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of the qibla, the way that’s facing the city of Mecca. The Green Mosque’s mihrab is amazingly beautiful with its intricate and colourful tile-work and the ornamented vaulting. I probably spent about 20 minutes lying on my back trying to get the best picture of it.
When we were at the Green Mosque, a very kind man came up to us and told us a little bit about the mosque. He wanted to demonstrate the amazing acoustics, so he asked if we wanted to hear a piece of his azan, the Muslim call to prayer. We of course said yes. Below is the video of the man’s azan.
I’m now going to give you a location that very few foreigners ever visit. It’s called Cumalikizik, a small village about 6 miles east of Bursa. If you want to know what a quintessential Ottoman or Turkish village looks like, then look no further than Cumalikizik. It has beautiful cobblestone roads and colourful houses designed in the typical Ottoman style with the wooden balconies. But honestly, that’s not the biggest reason why you should come here. Turkish breakfast is one of the best in the world, and Cumalikizik is famous in the region for its breakfasts, attracting hungry Turks from as far as Istanbul. As you walk through the village, people will offer breakfast in their houses. There isn’t really a big difference between them, they all offer the same thing and with similar great quality, so just choose one. I remember sitting in one of the houses, enjoying a nice breakfast with my dad and my friend. I looked out the window and saw the peaks of the Uludag Mountains. At the same time I could hear the gentle stream of water running through the cobblestone streets. It was easily the best breakfast experience of my life, and I don’t even like to eat breakfast. If you’ve never seen or had a Turkish breakfast, it looks something like this -
As compared to other breakfasts, the Turkish one has a lot of delicious variety. My favourites are menemen (tomatoey scrambled eggs) and the honey + kaymak (Turkish clotted cream) combination, both of which you enjoy with good bread and tea.
If you love Ottoman history, Bursa is a must-visit. It was one of the most important cities in the Ottoman empire and is still a very well-known city in Turkey. If you do plan on visiting Bursa though, make sure you stop by at Cumalikizik. You’ll get an amazing Turkish breakfast and get the opportunity to look at the unique Ottoman-style houses all while enjoying the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Things to do-
Visit Ulu Camii
Visit Green Mosque
Visit Koza Han
Visit Cumalikizik and enjoy a Turkish breakfast
Visit Kapalı Çarşı
Explore Koza Han and have tea there
Explore the bazaar
Skiing (depends on the season)
