Bursa

Marmara, Turkey 21 tours visit here

Bursa lies at the foot of Mount Uludag in northwest Turkey, on the southern side of the Sea of Marmara, and was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire after its conquest in 1326. Its early Ottoman core of mosques, tombs and commercial khans is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, together with the nearby village of Cumalikizik. Sightseeing concentrates on a compact stretch of the old centre. The Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) is the landmark, a hall of twenty domes with a fountain beneath the central opening. The Green Mosque and Green Tomb are known for their turquoise tilework, and the tombs of the founding sultans Osman and Orhan stand on the Tophane hill above the city. The covered bazaar and Koza Han, the historic silk-cocoon caravanserai, still trade in silk and textiles; Iskender kebab originated here. The nickname 'Green Bursa' comes from the wooded slopes behind the city. Mineral hot springs at Cekirge have supplied thermal baths since Roman and Ottoman times, and a cable car climbs to Uludag, Turkey's best-known ski area in winter and a cool retreat in summer. Bursa is most often visited as a full-day trip from Istanbul, with the historic monuments taking about half a day.