|
Area: 11.043 km²
Population: 1.603.137 (1990)
Traffic Code: 16
Bursa is located in the northwest of the Anatolian peninsula and southeast of the Marmara Sea. The shores of the Marmara Sea are 135 km away. The most important peak in the province is Uludağ, which is a ski resort and national park. The most significant lakes are Lake Iznik and Lake Uluabat.
Being the first Ottoman capital, Bursa is very rich in religious monuments, mosques and tombs (turbes) as well as warm, mineral-rich springs.
It is the home of the Yesil "Green" Mosque, with its magnificent carved-marble doorway and one of the best in Anatolia, the Yesil Tomb, with its enchantingly decorated turquoise tile exterior and the famous "Iskender Kebap." Bursa sits on the lower slopes of Ulu Dag (Mount Olympos of Mysia, 2543 m), and because of its many gardens and parks, and of course from its being in the middle of an important fruit-growing region, it is also know as "Green Bursa." Visitors may also find it impossible not to try some of the delectable candied chesnuts, the equally delicious peaches or do a little silk shopping, all for which the city is also famous. Bursa welcomes you to relax and soak away your cares at one of the many hot springs, as most of the hotels in the province offer thermal bath facilities while the Turkish baths, or "hamam" are also great places which shouldn't be missed.
Also, only 36 km away is another place that should be on every visitor's list--Ulu Dag, the largest and most celebrated winter-sports center in Turkey. Easily accessible by car or cable-car (teleferik), this area is also a national park and definitely worth a visit at any time of the year. Accommodations are high quality, offering the opportunity to enjoy a variety of the area's natural, entertainment and sports activities. If you are in search of some souvenirs, why not visit the Covered Bazaar, "Bedesten", or the Koza Han--an attractive bit of architecture and also the center of the Bursa silk trade.
|
