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Bursa may be a big sprawling city today, but the historic city center is in a relatively compact area.
The historic city center contains the magnificent Grand Mosque as well as several Ottoman caravanserais in the bazaar area. All of those are included in separate posts. This entry also doesn’t include the museums in the area.
Gazi Orhan Park
A good place to start is Gazi Orhan Park (Gazi Orhan Parkı), which is also known as Koza Park (Koza Parkı). It’s a beautiful open space with a large fountain and benches.
On the north side of the park is Koza Han, which is part of the city’s network of hans and bazaars. On the west side is the Grand Mosque, the largest and most historic mosque in Bursa.
Orhan Gazi Mosque
On the northeast side of the park is the Orhan Gazi Mosque (Orhan Gazi Camii), which is the first structure built outside the walls of Bursa Castle after the conquest of Bursa in 1326. It was originally built by Sultan Orhan and completed in 1339. The mosque was destroyed by a Karamanid raid in 1413 and repaired by Sultan Mehmed I in 1417. It also had to be repaired after an earthquake in 1855.
The Orhan Gazi Mosque was built on a reverse T plan and included guesthouses for travelers. According to local legend, famous Turkish shadow puppets Hacivat and Karagöz were actual craftsmen who helped build the mosque.
The Orhan Gazi Mosque is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Bursa. Click here for a virtual tour.
Bursa City Hall
The building next to the Orhan Gazi Mosque is the historic Bursa City Hall (Bursa Belediye Binası). It was built in 1879 and is a great example of late Ottoman architecture. Unfortunately, the architect is unknown. It’s still used for city council meetings. Click here for a virtual tour of the building.
Karaşeyh Mosque
Continuing east down Atatürk Avenue (Atatürk Caddesi) is a smaller mosque a bit hidden from the road. The Karaşeyh Mosque (Karaşeyh Camii) was built in the 16th century and used as a library in the 1950s.
Atatürk Monument
Another block down Atatürk Avenue is the Atatürk Monument (Atatürk Anıtı). It’s dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic. The monument sits in front of the Bursa City Museum, which was built in 1926 and served as the Bursa Courthouse for 75 years.
The Atatürk Monument was made by local sculptor Nijat Sirel (1897-1959). It consists of a bronze statue of Atatürk sitting on a horse. The pedestal is made of marble. The monument was unveiled on October 29, 1931.
Clock Tower
At the intersection across from the statue, there’s a small clock tower. It was built in 2007 by local artist Merih Ercan. It replaced an older clock tower built in 1992. If you continue east, it’s a short walk to the Yeşil neighborhood and the Green Mosque and Green Tomb.
Kayhan Hamam
If you head north into the neighborhood from the clock tower, you’ll run into the Kayhan Hamam (Kayhan Hamamı). It’s a public bath built in the early 15th century by Koca Mehmed Nizamüddin Pasha (d. 1439), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Murad II. Its purpose was to provide income for a mosque he had built. The hamam was a double bath with both a men’s and women’s section. It was restored in 2013 and is now used as a social facility.
French Church
If you head south from the clock tower, you’ll find the French Church. It was built in the 19th century by the Sisters of Charity (Filles de la Charité) to serve French tradespeople living in the city. The cornerstone was laid on December 14, 1879, and it was completed on August 11, 1880.
The interior of the church was decorated in 1927 by Father Prosper Lamerand and a Russian artist. It was abandoned 1960 and briefly opened for worship again in 1971. The building was restored in 2004 and is used by the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox communities for worship. The French Church is the only traditional church building remaining in Bursa today.
The church is open to visitors every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 1pm to 6pm (as of September 2023). The Bursa Protestant Church worships there every Sunday at 12:30pm.
Tomb of Gazi Timurtaş Pasha
Finally, heading back west of Gazi Orhan Park towards Bursa Castle is the tomb of Gazi Timurtaş Pasha (d. 1402). He participated with the Ottomans in the war against Karamanoğlu Ali Bey in 1386 as the Ottomans rose in power against the Karamanids. When Sultan Bayezid I ascended to the throne, he was appointed governor of Edirne. During the Ottoman Interregnum, Gazi Timurtaş Pasha supported İsa Çelebi, who lost the 11-year war to Sultan Mehmed I, and was assassinated by a close contact. There are a total of three burials in the tomb.