Last updated on .
The 12 tombs at the Muradiye Complex in Bursa, Turkey, are the final resting place of 40 members of the Ottoman dynasty. They’re included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Bursa. This entry includes tombs 4-6.
Tomb of Şirin Hatun
After finishing the first three tombs at the complex, the next tomb belongs to Şirin Hatun (before1450 – after 1500). It was built in the early 16th century.
Şirin Hatun was a consort of Sultan Bayezid II and gave birth to his eldest son, Şehzade Abdullah, and a daughter, Aynışah Hatun. She had a mosque built in Trabzon and one school each in Bursa and Mihaliç (modern Karacabey).
The walls of the tomb are adorned with hand-drawn decorations, and the dome is beautifully painted. It contains a total of three sarcophagi. Buried alongside Şirin Hatun are her son’s wife, Ferahşah Hatun, and her son’s daughter, Aynışah Sultan.
Tomb of Gülruh Hatun
Next door is the tomb of Gülruh Hatun (Gülruh Hatun Türbesi). It was built in 1527 for Gülruh Hatun, who died sometime after its completion. She was a consort of Sultan Bayezid II and bore him a son, Şehzade Alemşah, and a daughter, Kamer Sultan.
Gülruh Hatun was very generous, building a mosque and school in both Akhisar and Bursa. She also built several other structures, such as hamams, caravanserais, shops, and mills.
The tomb includes excellent examples of 16th century calligraphy on the upper walls and an ornately decorated dome. The hand-drawn floral motifs atop the windows also date back to the 16th century. They were plastered over in the 19th century and rediscovered during renovation in 2013.
There are a total of four sarcophagi in the tomb. In addition to Gülruh Hatun are the burials of her daughter Kamer Sultan (1476-?); Fatma Sultan, the daughter of Şehzade Alemşah; and Osman, the son of Kamer Sultan.
Tomb of Ebe Gülbahar Hatun
The sixth tomb at the Muradiye Complex is an open-air tomb. There’s no inscription or definite information about who’s buried there. Tradition says it belongs to Ebe Gülbahar Hatun, the midwife of Mehmed the Conqueror.
