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In the Yeşil neighborhood of Bursa, Turkey, is the Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe). It’s located just uphill behind the Green Mosque. The Green Tomb is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Bursa.
History
The Green Tomb is the final resting place of Sultan Mehmed I, and yes, it’s actually green. It was built following his death in 1421 by his son, Sultan Murad II. The architect was Hacı İvaz Pasha (d. 1428), who also designed the Green Mosque. The Green Tomb is arguably the most extraordinary and well-known tomb of all the Ottoman Sultans.
Architecture
The hexagonal building sits on a small hill higher than the rest of the Green Mosque complex. The exterior is covered in blue-green tiles that give it its name. The majority of the original tiles were replaced with Kütahya tiles following an 1855 earthquake.
Entrance Portal
The entrance portal is very ornate and contains green, blue, white, and yellow Iznik tiles. There’s a muqarnas niche atop the entrance.
Interior
The interior of the structure is even more stunning. The sarcophagus of the Sultan sits on a raised platform and is encased in tiles with Islamic calligraphy. More tiles line the interior walls up to the top of the windows, and there’s also fine woodwork.
The mihrab is the most striking part of the interior and mimics the beautiful decorations of the entrance portal. There’s also fine woodwork. Click here for a virtual tour of the tomb.
Mehmed I
Mehmed I (b. 1389, Bursa – d. 1421, Bursa) was the 5th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (r. 1413-1421). Also known as Mehmed Çelebi, he fought against his brothers for control over the empire during the Ottoman Interregnum (1402-1413). He then reunited the empire and eliminated threats to his rule until his death eight years later.
Other Burials
There are eight other burials in the Green Tomb. They include the sons of Mehmed I, Mustafa (1408-1423), Mahmud (1413-1429), and Yusuf (1414-1429); the daughters of Mehmed I, Selçuk Hatun (1407-1485), Sitti Hatun, Hafsa Hatun (b. 1410), and Ayşe Hatun (b. 1414); and Daya Hatun, the nanny of Ayşe Hatun.
