Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Bursa, Turkey

Bursa, Turkey. Photo by The Library of Congress. Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Bursa, Turkey

Bursa is the administrative centre of Bursa province in northwestern Turkey. 

Bursa which is  one of the industrial centres of Turkey, is the second-most populous in Marmara region and the fouth most populous city in the country.

Bursa is the country’s industrial centre in which most of Turkey’s automotive production takes place. The population of the city stood at 3,056,120 inhabitants as of 2019.

Between 1335 and 1363, Bursa was the first major and second overall capital of the Ottoman State. Consequently Bursa is one of the most important historical cities in Turkey.

The city is full of monuments, mosques and other tourist attractions dating from the Ottoman Empire to the present day

The top 10 intriguing facts about Bursa include the following.

1. Bursa Boasts Of The World’s Longest Car Cable; The Bursa Teleferik

Bursa Teleferik. Photo by Elnur Ahmadov. Wikimedia Commons

Travelling up the slopes of Uludag or the Grand Mountain, the Bursa Teleferik is the world’s longest cable car.

It takes 22 minutes to get to the final station which is at 1,810 meters above sea level in a ride that covers 8.2 kilometers.

The cable car is itself a tourist attraction for its scenic views as it operates year round.

It is used by skiers and snowboarders during winter to transport them to Uludag’s  ski resort facilities.

2. Bursa was once an important stop for traders of Silk 

 In ancient times Bursa was a prominent stop on the Silk Route between the east and the west. 

The central city area is replete with finely restored buildings which were constructed in those days.

A labyrinth of covered market streets, caravanserais or hans where traders once slept, and warehouses where goods were stored can be viewed in the Central Bazaar in Bursa.

The warehouse buildings which are called bedestans and the caravanserais  are currently occupied by shops. Outdoor cafes now occupy the tranquil leafy central courtyards in Central Bazaar.

3. Has a village built in Ottoman style

Cumalikizik. Photo by Ayratayrat. Wikimedia Commons

Cumalıkızık is a village located 14 kilometers east from the central city centre of Bursa.

The village boasts of cobblestone alleyways rimmed with old houses with some dilapidated while others are finely reserved.

The houses in the village were built in the Ottoman style with some houses dating to the earliest period of Ottoman rule.  The village is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bursa locals visit the village during sunny weekends for lunch as some of the houses have been turned to cafes and restaurants.

4. Is a resting place for earliest sultans at Muradiye Tombs

Muradiye tombs constitute a complex built during the Ottoman era. Some of the earliest sultans and their family members are buried there.

The tombs are decorated with exceptional examples of artwork from the Ottoman era replete with colorful calligraphy and tile work.

Tourists with an interest in the artistic heritage of the Ottoman era will appreciate when they visit the tombs.

5. Bursa Has a Fun Winter Ski Resort-

Uludag 

Uludag Ski Resort. Photo by Yurekli74. Wikimedia Commons

Uludag is the busiest winter ski resort in Turkey and is within easy reach from Bursa and Istanbul.

A total of 28 kilometers of slopes is available ranging from beginner to advanced levels of skiing.

The resort area ranges from between 1,767 meters and 2,322 meters above sea level. The resort is accessible either by the scenic Bursa Teleferik cable car or by road from Bursa.

The winter ski resort provides 24 different ski lifts on-site which enables easy transport between various slopes including many modern facilities.

The resort is particularly good for intermediate skiers and snowboarders.

6. Bursa is Home to the Grand Mosque -The Ulu Cami 

Ulu Cami. Photo by Dosseman. Wikimedia Commons

Sitting amid the city’s central market area, the Ulu Cami is a grand mosque in Bursa.

 Built around 1399, the mosque’s architecture leans towards the earlier Seljuk style.

Seljuk Style was the architectural style of Persian mosques built during the Ottoman era.

Its roof resplendent with 20 domes makes it one of the most recognizable features of the Ulu Cami.

7. The Whirling Dervish Ceremony is a must-watch in Bursa

Visitors can watch the whirling dervish ceremony which is a religious ceremony of the Mevlevi Sufis of Turkey. 

Visitors are welcome to come and watch the sema which is the religious ceremony of whirling dervishes as Bursa has an active Mevlevi cultural center.

The whirling dervish is a ceremony held in the community dervish lodge called tekke every evening.

Male visitors sit on the ground level while female visitors watch from the balcony upstairs.

8. It hosts The Green Mosque And The Green Tomb, built by Sultan Mehmed I

Visitors can tour the Green Tomb and the neighboring Green Mosque which were built by Sultan Mehmed I. The Green Tomb is the sarcophagus of the Sultan.

An important figure in early Ottoman history due to his consolidation of control over a wide range of territories, Sultan Mehmed I was the fifth Ottoman sultan.

Built due to an evolving architectural style to replace the Seljuk design in 1422, the Green Mosque is a good example of the distinct Ottoman architectural style.

9.Bursa Offers an Experience of Tranquil Village Life at Gölyazı 

Golyazi which gives a taste of slow-paced rural life sits on a peninsula jutting into the Ulubat Lake located 40 kilometers west from Bursa central area.

 The village boasts of smattering of Roman-era ruins, including the scant remnants of the settlement’s Roman walls and a famous huge 750-year-old plane tree.

10. Bursa offers an opportunity to soak in amazing Turkish Baths

One of the top activities many tourists in Turkey want to experience is soaking and scrubbing in a hammam or a Turkish bath.

There are plenty of opportunities to indulge in the hammam or the Turkish bath in Bursa.

Bursa’s thermal spa suburb of Cekirge which is located five kilometers northwest from the centre of the city is the best place to visit to indulge in a Turkish bath.

Visitors can get a typical soak, sauna and scrub experience as well as massages and other spa-type add-ons at the Eski Kaplıca Hamam also known as the Eski Kaplıca Sokak.

Featuring plenty of traditional marble design features, the Eski Kaplıca Hamam or the Eski Kaplıca Sokak has been in business since the 14th century.

Assistants at the hammams offer a more local experience as they do not speak English unlike assistants in Instanbul