Passport to the World: Bursa

On 21 April, Mr.Kamal drove about an hour from the hotel to the Yenikapı Feribot Terminalı for our ferry trip to Bursa. The ferry ride took about 45 minutes.

Bursa is the fourth largest city in Turkey, and the most important peak in the province is Uludag (legendary Mount Olympus), which is a ski resort and national park.

It is the first capital of the Uthmaniyah Empire and burial place for the first 6 sultans whose piety and devoutness shows in the abundance of religious monuments, mosques and tombs they had built at their command. Prusias I King of ancient Bithynia, founded the city in the early 2nd century BC renamed it Proussa after himself. Osman Ghazi conquered the town in 1299 and this was the year regarded as the founding of the Uthmaniyah empire, which was to survive for over 600 years.

After we reached the land, we continued our journey for another 1 hour and 30 minutes before we saw the Cumalikizik Village.

Cumalikizik is a village founded more than 700 years old. Believed to have been established by Turkish horseback tribes that poured in during the early Uthmaniyah days, the village has documents dating back to 1685. Sitting on the lower slopes of Mount Uludag there are cobbled streets full of derelict houses.

We spent about an hour here. It was such a unique place.

Abah bought this plum which was really good.

At about 1.15pm, we were at this famous Turkish meatball restaurant.

Later, we continued our tour with a visit to the Green Mosque and the Green Tomb. The eastern neighbourhood is also known as Yeşil after its namesake mosque and tombs. Although the mosque was never fully completed, its construction began in 1413 and stopped in 1424 three years after the death of Sultan Muhammad I. It is called Green Mosque due to the green turquoise tiles used on adornments.

Walking across the pedestrian precinct, we continued our visit at the Green Tomb. Inside, the walls and tomb sparkle with the superb original Tabriz material.

Later, we spent quite some time here at the Silk House and I got myself a nice silk fabric (raya kan dah nak dekat). :-)

After that, we proceeded to the Grand Mosque or Ulu Cami. Then, to Koza Han.

The Grand Mosque or Ulu Camii built from proceeds taken from the Crusaders at Macedonian Nicopolis by Yıldırım Beyazit I and constructed between 1396 and 1399.All of us agreed that this mosque can be considered as our favourite among all the mosques that we have visited so far. It is simple but pure and beautiful.

Koza Han which means the silk cocoon market, is located at the back of Koza Park. It was built in 1491 and was both used as a bazaar and a silk market. This is because Bursa was the last stop on the great Silk Road from China. And, this was the reason why a compulsory for me to buy one piece of 4-meters fabric here in Bursa.