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Bursa Castle (Bursa Kalesi) is one of the most interesting places to visit in Bursa, Turkey. It’s surrounded by the old city walls and contains the ancient citadel as well as a historic neighborhood.
Introduction to Bursa Castle
When the Ottomans conquered Prusa from the Byzantines in 1326, the entire city consisted of today’s Hisar neighborhood, which is contained within the walls of Bursa Castle. While exploring the neighborhood, just west of the historic city center, you’ll find historic mosques and traditional Ottoman homes as well as Tophane Park. Many of the Ottoman homes have been converted into restaurants, shops, or boutique hotels.
Walls of Bursa Castle
Ancient Prusa (modern Bursa) was founded in 202 BC by King Prusias I of Bithynia. It sat atop a hill and was fortified. The first walls were built by the Bythinians. They were modified and repaired over time by the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans.
By 1640, the walls had 67 towers and 5 main gates. They ran for two kilometers surrounding the area known to locals as Hisar. Only a few sections of the walls exist today.
Imperial Gate
First, just west of the historic city center is the Imperial Gate (Saltanat Kapısı). It was the most important gate on the city walls.
The Imperial Gate, which was known by several other names during Ottoman times, was used by nobles and governors to enter the castle. An inscription above the gate indicates it was renovated in 1418 by Sultan Mehmed I. It was also renovated in 2005. Click here for a virtual tour of the gate.
Tahtakale Gate
Continuing clockwise, the next gate along the walls is the Tahtakale Gate (Tahtakale Kapısı). By passing through this gate, visitors don’t enter the castle, but rather a corridor to another gate.
Tahtakale Gate disappeared due to road construction over time and was rediscovered thanks to archaeological excavations. The gate was rebuilt according to its original plans in 2012.
Yerkapı Gate
Just inside the Tahtakale Gate is Yerkapı Gate (Yerkapı), which was rebuilt in 2007. The corridor between Tahtakale and Yerkapı Gates worked to strengthen the castle’s defenses.
Conquest Gate
A short walk to the west is the Conquest Gate (Fetih Kapı). It was the southernmost gate of Bursa Castle and where the Ottoman forces entered the city during their conquest of Bursa in 1326. The Conquest Gate was at the weakest point on the walls and opened to a plain. It was renovated in 2008.
Kalebahçe Street
Walking west from the Conquest Gate along Kalebahçe Street is a section of the city walls. What’s interesting about it is that locals have created homes inside the walls. There are doors to people’s homes literally opening into the walls.
Dungeon Gate
Finally, at the end of Kalebahçe Street is the Dungeon Gate (Zindan Kapı). It’s named for the underground dungeons that once existed there. The dungeons were used as a prison until the late 19th century.
The Dungeon Gate was under restoration the last time I walked by in October 2019. It reopened as a museum about the history of the castle walls on October 17, 2021. Admission is free (as of March 2024). From the outside, it’s the most impressive reconstruction of the walls.
Tombs of Osman I and Orhan
The most important structures in Bursa Castle are the tombs of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman I (Osman Gazi), and his son, Orhan (Orhan Gazi). They stand opposite each other inside the gates to Tophane Park and are included in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listing. The tombs occupy the former site of the Byzantine Monastery of Saint Elijah, which was built in the 11th century.
Tomb of Osman I
The tomb of Osman I (Osman Gazi Türbesi) is a former Byzantine chapel the Ottomans called the Silver Dome (Gümüşlü Kümbet). It has a lead-plated dome that sparkled like silver when seen from afar during the siege of Bursa. According to Osman’s will, he wished to be “laid to rest beneath the silver dome of Bursa”. He was originally buried alongside his father, Ertuğrul, in Söğüt, and transferred to his current resting place after the Ottoman conquest of Bursa in 1326.
The original tomb was damaged by fire in 1801 and during an earthquake in 1855. It was rebuilt between 1863 and 1868 by Sultan Abdülaziz and has lost its original appearance. The tomb contains 17 sarcophagi in total. Other burials include Alaeddin Pasha (1290-1331), the son of Osman I and the first Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire; Savcı Bey, the son of Sultan Murad I who allied with Byzantine Prince Andronikos IV Palaiologos in a joint rebellion against their fathers; Asporça Hatun (1300-1362), a wife of Orhan; and İbrahim Bey (1316-1362), the son of Orhan and Asporça Hatun. Most of the other burials are unknown. Click here for a virtual tour of the tomb.
If you visit, you might be able to see men dressed as Ottoman soldiers guarding the tomb of Osman I. They were stationed there on my last few visits to Tophane Park. There was also a man reciting the Quran inside the tomb.
Biography of Osman I
Osman I (b. c. 1254 – d. 1324, Bursa) was the first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (r. 1299-1324) and the founder of the Ottoman dynasty. Not much factual information is known about his life. He increased the territory of his Beylik, which was under the rule of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, at the expense of the Byzantine Empire. Osman I captured Dorylaeum (modern Eskişehir) and established the city of Yenişehir. He was an excellent leader who enjoyed enormous respect and loyalty from his people.
Tomb of Orhan
Orhan was once buried in the same tomb as Osman I, but Sultan Abdülaziz ordered a separate tomb to be built for Orhan. The tomb of Orhan (Orhan Gazi Türbesi) was also built between 1863 and 1868, and encloses the surviving mosaic floor of the church at the Monastery of Saint Elijah. Orhan’s tomb is larger than that of his fathers.
Inside the tomb are 21 sarcophagi in total. Other burials include Orhan’s wife Nilüfer Hatun (1283-1383); his son Şehzade Kasım; Fatma Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Bayezid I; Abdullah, the son of Cem Sultan; and Şehzade Korkut (1467-1513), the son of Sultan Bayezid II. The other burials are unknown. Click here for a virtual tour of the tomb.
Biography of Orhan
Orhan (b. 1281, Söğüt – d. 1362, Bursa) was the 2nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (r. 1324-1362). It’s believed that under Orhan’s rule, the Ottomans stopped acting like a vassal state of the Sultanate of Rum. Under the advice of his half-brother and Grand Vizier, Alaeddin Pasha, he founded the Janissary corps. Orhan captured Prusa (modern Bursa) in 1326, Nicaea (modern Iznik) in 1331, Nicomedia (modern Izmit) in 1337, and Scutari (modern Üsküdar in Istanbul) in 1338. In 1345, he began to capture land from other Turkish beyliks, extending Ottoman territory to the Dardanelles and the Aegean Sea.
During a 22 year period of peace and friendly relations with the Byzantines, Orhan married Theodora (1330-1396), the daughter of Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos, as his fifth wife. She was active in supporting Christians living under Ottoman rule. During his last years, Orhan left most of his power to his son and successor, the future Sultan Murad I, and lived a secluded life in Bursa. He was the longest living Ottoman Sultan and one of the longest reigning.
Tophane Park
Tophane Park (Tophane Parkı) is one of the most popular areas to visit within the walls of Bursa Castle. It’s also included in the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listing.
The small park is a pleasant area with cafés, trees, and a fountain in the center. It’s a great place to sit and enjoy a glass of tea while soaking up the atmosphere.
Tophane Clock Tower
The Tophane Clock Tower (Tophane Saat Kulesi), one of the symbols of Bursa, stands in the park. It was built in 1905 by Governor Mümtaz Reşid Pasha to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the ascension to the throne of Sultan Abdülhamid II. It stands 6 stories and 33 meters high, and replaced an older clock tower built during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz that had collapsed. The Tophane Clock Tower was also used as a fire tower in the past. Click here for a virtual tour.
Gondola
On my last few visits to Bursa in 2022 and 2023, there was an original gondola from the Bursa Cable Car on display. The cable car was the first built in Turkey and ran from October 29, 1963, to October 29, 2013. It ran on the same technology the entire 50 years. The line was rebuilt and extended, and reopened on June 7, 2014.
Views of Bursa
One of the best reasons to visit Tophane Park is for the excellent views of Bursa. There’s a ledge at the north end of the park with panoramic views of the city and the foothills of Uludağ.
Şahadet Mosque
West of Tophane Park is the Şahadet Mosque (Şahadet Camii). It was built in 1365 by Sultan Murad I, just opposite where the old palace used to sit. The mosque was destroyed in an earthquake in 1855 and reconstructed in 1892.
Lala Şahin Pasha Madrasa
A few steps inside the Imperial Gate is the Lala Şahin Pasha Madrasa (Lala Şahin Paşa Medresesi). It was built in 1339 by Lala Şahin Pasha (d. 1388), a military commander under Sultan Murad I. It was turned into a library in 1969 and now serves as the Lala Şahin Pasha Children’s Library (Lala Şahin Paşa Çocuk Kütüphanesi).
Kavaklı Mosque
Walking a couple blocks south from the madrasa down Kavaklı Avenue is the Kavaklı Mosque (Kavaklı Camii). It was built during the reign of Sultan Murad I by a local judge named Koca Naib (d. 1372). It’s believed to have been built on the foundations of a church. The plane tree in front of the mosque is thought to be one of the oldest in Bursa, planted by Geyikli Baba.
Haraççıoğlu Madrasa
Another block south is the former Haraççıoğlu Madrasa (Haraççıoğlu Medresesi). It was originally built as a Naqshbandi lodge by the prominent Haraççıoğlu family in the second half of the 16th century. The lodge was later converted to a madrasa by Cizyedarzade Hüseyin Ağa shortly before his death in 1784. It was restored in 2006 and now serves as the Haraççıoğlu Madrasa Social Facilities (Haraççıoğlu Medresesi Sosyal Tesisleri). Cizyedarzade Hüseyin Ağa is buried in the cemetery out front.
Quran School
At the end of Kavaklı Avenue, just before the Yerkapı Gate, is the Quran School (Darül Kurra). It was built in 1492 by Hoca Yakup. It’s a rare example of a standalone Quran school, which were usually part of a mosque complex. Members of the Haraççıoğlu/Cizyedarzade family are buried in the attached cemetery.
Üftade Mosque
A few steps east of the Quran School is the Üftade Mosque (Üftade Camii), which was built in 1572 by Üftade Mehmed Muhyiddin. It was damaged in an earthquake in 1855 and completely rebuilt by Hasan Rıza Pasha, the Ottoman Minister of Defense, in 1866.
Tomb of Üftade Mehmed Muhyiddin
The tomb of Üftade Mehmed Muhyiddin (1490-1581) was built in the late 16th century. It sits next to the mosque he built. Üftade Mehmed Muhyiddin was a poet and a sheikh and is buried along with members of his family.
Yerkapı Mosque
Heading west from the Quran School is the tiny Yerkapı Mosque (Yerkapı Camii). It was built in the first half of the 14th century by Kara Ali, the father of Sultan Orhan’s military commander Timurtaş Pasha.
Bursa Health History Museum (Permanently Closed)
Just past the Yerkapı Mosque is the Bursa Health History Museum (Bursa Sağlık Tarihi Müzesi). It opened in 2006 and presents medical devices and materials used by Bursa’s physicians. The museum is housed in the Yerkapı Mansion (Yerkapı Konağı), a historic Ottoman mansion, and is open daily except Mondays. (Note: The collection from the museum has been moved to the Bursa City Museum.)
Arkeopark Open Air Museum
Continuing west for a few blocks down Kaleboyu Avenue is the Arkeopark Open Air Museum. Once complete, this archaeological site will present thousands of years of Bursa history.
The Arkeopark Open Air Museum was in the process of excavations when I last walked by. Excavations wrapped up in October 2021 and the site was beginning the process of conversion to an open-air museum. It’s expected to open sometime in 2024 (as of November 2023).
Even though the park was closed, we still enjoyed the walk down Kaleboyu Avenue and the view of the neighborhood on the foothills of Uludağ.
Old Tobacco Factory
Finally, walking down to the Muradiye Complex from Tophane Park down Hasta Yurdu Avenue is an old tobacco factory. A local man told me it has been restored, but I’m not sure what the purpose of the building is today. I’ll update once I have more information. There are large photos of old Bursa on the walls in front of the factory.
