Bursa

Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is the main city of Bursa Province. It is the fourth-most crowded city in Turkey and the second-most crowded in the Marmara Region after Istanbul.

In the past, Bursa was called Prusa or Prousa in Ancient Greek. It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1335 to the 1360s.

Today, Bursa is a key place for making things, especially for Turkey's automotive production. The city is known for its many parks, gardens, and forests. People call it Yeşil Bursa, which means "Green Bursa."

Bursa has a lot of history and culture. It has the mausoleums of early Ottoman sultans, along with many old buildings from that time. The city also has thermal baths, traditional houses, palaces, and museums. Nearby, Mount Uludağ has a popular ski area. Some stories say the characters from the traditional shadow play, Karagöz and Hacivat, were based on people who lived in Bursa long ago.

History

See also: Timeline of Bursa and Prousa

Antiquity

The first people lived near Bursa at Ilıpınar Mound around 6000 BC. Later, the city of Prusa was built by King Prusias I of Bithynia. It was called Prusa ad Olympum because it was at the foot of a mountain. Prusa had special hot springs called "royal waters." In 75/74 BC, Nicomedes IV, the last king of Bithynia, gave his kingdom to the Roman Republic before he died.

A letter to Roman Emperor Trajan by Pliny the Younger talks about building baths in Prusa.

A Roman artifact made from silver was found in Bursa and is kept in the British Museum.

Middle Ages

When Prusa was ruled by the Byzantines, the city grew after the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I built a palace. Prusa became a place where guards were stationed. By the mid-6th century, Prusa was known for making silk.

Bursa became the first capital of the Ottoman Empire in 1326. During this time, the city grew with new buildings like hospitals, caravanserais (including the Koza Han), and madrasas. The first Ottoman mint was set up here. Later, the capital moved to Adrianople (now Edirne).

Even after moving the capital, Bursa stayed important for religion and trade. The Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I built big buildings there. Later, after a battle, forces attacked and burned Bursa.

Bursa was an important place for trading silk. The city had a dockyard and was a key spot for moving goods from Ming China to the Mediterranean world.

Modern Era

In the 20th century, Bursa grew with factories for textiles, cars, and farming products. New businesses started in the city.

Many people moved to Bursa over the years, especially after wars and changes in borders. The city offered jobs and felt familiar to many newcomers.

Jewish community

Bursa had a small Jewish community before the Ottoman conquest in 1326. Later, Sephardic Jews came after being expelled from Spain in 1492.

Most Jews lived in a neighborhood called Kuruçeşme. Though a fire destroyed one synagogue, two others remained. The Jewish community in Bursa changed in size over time but was always small.

Geography

Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is on the slopes of Mount Uludağ and near the Nilüfer River. The city is the capital of Bursa Province, which is next to the Sea of Marmara and other areas.

Climate

Bursa has a Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are cool and rainy. Sometimes it snows and the snow stays for a short time. Air pollution can be a problem in the city.

Economy

Bursa is an important city for making cars in Turkey. Big companies like Fiat, Renault, and Karsan have factories there, along with many other companies that make car parts.

The city is also known for its textiles and food. You can find brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola there, as well as places that make fresh and canned food. Bursa also makes dairy products, processed food, and drinks.

Traditionally, Bursa was famous for trading silk. Today, it is still a big place for textiles. The city is also known for its skiing on Mount Uludağ and its warm thermal baths, which people have used for health for many years.

Transportation

Bursa has a metro called Bursaray, trams, and buses to help people move around the city. You can also take taxis. The city has an airport called Yenişehir Airport, but it is far from the center. Many people fly from Istanbul’s airports, like Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, because Istanbul is nearby. There are many buses and ferries between Bursa and Istanbul every day.

There is a special cable car called the Bursa Uludağ Gondola that takes people up the mountain Uludağ, a popular place for winter sports. The main train station in Bursa is Harmancık, and it is part of a train line between Balıkesir and Kütahya. People in Bursa usually spend about an hour each day using public transport to get to work or school.

Education

Bursa has two public universities and one private university. Uludağ University started in 1975 and is the oldest university in the city. It has many students. Bursa Technical University is the second public university and began in 2010.

The first private university was Bursa Orhangazi University, which started in 2012 but closed later. Istanbul Commerce University also offers graduate programs in Bursa. There are vocational high schools, including Bursa Sports High School and Bursa Agriculture Vocational High School, located in the Osmangazi district.

Sports

Bursa has a professional football club called Bursaspor. Bursaspor used to play in the top league of Turkish football but moved to a lower league after the 2018–19 season. In the 2009–10 season, Bursaspor won the Turkish championship, making it a well-known team in Turkey.

Bursaspor’s home games are at Timsah Arena, which can hold 45,000 fans. The city also has three professional basketball teams in the Turkish Basketball League. These teams include Bursaspor and Tofaş S.K.. Another team, Final Spor, plays in the second division.

Politics

The mayor of Bursa is Mustafa Bozbey. He was elected in March 2024 and is from the Republican People's Party (CHP). Before him, Alinur Aktaş was mayor from 2019 to 2024. He was from the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Culture and tourism

Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque)

Ulu Cami is the largest mosque in Bursa and a famous example of early Ottoman architecture. It was built between 1396 and 1400.

The mosque is a big, rectangular building with twenty domes arranged in four rows of five, supported by twelve columns. It also has two minarets.

Inside, there are 192 wall writings made by famous calligraphers from that time. There is a special fountain (şadırvan) where people can wash before prayers.

The wide inside feels calm and peaceful. The space divided by many domes and pillars creates a private, cozy feeling.

Mosques and külliye complexes

• Bursa Grand Mosque and külliye
• Yeşil Mosque and külliye
• Bayezid I Mosque and külliye
• Muradiye Mosque and külliye
• Emir Sultan Mosque and külliye
• Orhan Gazi Mosque and külliye
• Hüdavendigar Mosque and külliye
• Koca Sinan Paşa Mosque and külliye
• İshak Paşa Mosque and külliye
• Karacabey Grand Mosque
• Karabaş-i Veli Cultural Centre
• Somuncu Baba Mosque
• Üftade Tekkesi Mosque and complex
• Babasultan Mosque and complex

Bazaars and caravanserais

• Yıldırım Bazaar (bedesten)
• Koza Han
• Pirinç Han
• İpek Han

Other historic monuments

• Bursa Castle
• Irgandı Bridge
• İnkaya Sycamore, a massive and impressive 600-year-old tree (Platanus orientalis)

Museums

• Bursa Archaeological Museum
• Bursa Atatürk Museum,
• Bursa City Museum,
• Bursa Energy Museum
• Bursa Forestry Museum
• Bursa Karagöz Museum
• Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art
• Bursa Turkish Architecture Museum
• İznik Museum
• Mudanya Armistice House
• Museum of Ottoman House
• Tofaş Museum of Cars and Anatolian Carriages

Parks and gardens

• Uludağ National Park
• Bursa Zoo and Botanical Garden
• Bursa Hüdavendigar Kent Park

Hot springs and thermal baths

• Keramet hot spring
• Çekirge hot spring
• Armutlu hot spring
• Oylat hot spring
• Gemlik hot spring
• Çelik Palas thermal bath

Gallery

Bursa Citadel Main Gate

[Orhan Gazi](/wiki/Orhan_Gazi) Mosque

• .jpg)

  Emir Sultan Mosque

• _2.jpg)

  Koza Han (Silk Bazaar) in Bursa

Entrance of the [Yeşil Cami](/wiki/Yeşil_Mosque) (Green Mosque)

[Muradiye Mosque and Külliye](/wiki/Muradiye_Complex) in Bursa

Governorate of Bursa

[Mt. Uludağ](/wiki/Uludağ) is a popular ski destination.

Statue of Atatürk in Bursa

Şehreküstü Mosque

Interior of Yeşil Mosque

Bursa French Catholic Church

Saltanatkapı (Citadel Main Gate)

Old City Hall

Tophane Clocktower

Tomb of [Osman Gazi](/wiki/Osman_Gazi)

Tomb of Orhan Gazi

Interior of the Grand Mosque

Koza Han (Silk Bazaar)

[Irgandı Bridge](/wiki/Irgandı_Bridge)

A view of Bursa in the late 19th century

Bursa, c. 1895

Atatürk delivering a speech in Bursa, 1924

A view of Bursa from the foothills of [Mt. Uludağ](/wiki/Uludağ)

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Turkey

Bursa is twinned with:

• Darmstadt, Germany (1971)
• Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1972)
• Oulu, Finland (1978)
• Kairouan, Tunisia (1987)
• Anshan, China (1991)
• Bitola, North Macedonia (1996)
• Ceadîr-Lunga, Moldova (1997)
• Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan (1997)
• Mascara, Algeria (1998)
• Kulmbach, Germany (1998)
• Pleven, Bulgaria (1998)
• Plovdiv, Bulgaria (1998)
• Tirana, Albania (1998)
• Košice, Slovakia (2000)
• Vinnytsia, Ukraine (2004)
• Szentendre, Hungary (2005)
• Pristina, Kosovo (2010)
• Bakhchysarai, Ukraine (2010)
• Momchilgrad, Bulgaria (2010)
• Mogilev, Belarus (2013)
• Hebron, Palestine (2014)
• Herzliya, Israel (2014)
• Veliko Tărnovo, Bulgaria (2017)
• Galkayo, Somalia (2018)