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Inside Bursa’s Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami).
The small mosque in Koza Han’s courtyard, surrounded by café umbrellas.
Koza Han’s courtyard mosque in the evening.
Information updated: 31 August 2026Historic Bursa is best understood as a connected city. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, mosques, trading inns, markets, baths, schools, tombs and villages formed a network that supported the early Ottoman state.
Bursa came under Ottoman rule on 6 April 1326 and became an early capital. It gradually expanded east and west beyond the old walls. New neighbourhoods developed around sultans’ complexes containing mosques, schools, baths, charitable kitchens and social facilities. This became a characteristic model of Ottoman urban planning.
In recognition of this legacy, UNESCO inscribed “Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire” on the World Heritage List in 2014. Its component sites explain the formation of the first Ottoman capital and its relationship with the surrounding countryside.
Why Bursa matters to early Ottoman history
Before the seat of power moved to Edirne and later Istanbul, Bursa was a leading political, economic and religious centre. Its importance extends beyond the early sultans’ tombs: it demonstrates how a new Ottoman city was built.The early centres were founded by Orhan Gazi, Murad I, Yıldırım Bayezid, Çelebi Mehmed I and Murad II. Each complex served religious, social, educational and economic needs, with housing and markets developing around it. UNESCO’s account explains why this pattern is central to understanding the early Ottoman city.
The Khans Area — Hanlar Bölgesi
The historic inns and bazaars form old Bursa’s commercial heart. For centuries, the city stood on important trading routes, particularly those associated with silk. The area around the Grand Mosque developed into an interconnected network of inns, markets and shops.
Koza Han
One of Bursa’s best-known landmarks, Koza Han is closely associated with silk. Construction began in 1489 and finished in 1491 under Bayezid II, supporting trade and providing income for endowed institutions.The two-storey building surrounds a central courtyard, where a small raised structure stands above a fountain. More than five centuries later, it remains a place of commerce, with silk and textile shops alongside cafés. The official Bursa tourism portal describes its role as an international trading centre since the fifteenth century.
Emir Han
Close to the Grand Mosque, Emir Han is one of the early inns that helped shape the commercial centre. Such buildings generated income to support religious and social complexes.Visitors can walk between Emir Han, Koza Han and the surrounding bazaars, as much of this historic trading area is linked by pedestrian routes.
The Covered Bazaar and old markets
Specialist markets developed around the inns. The area remains one of Bursa’s liveliest quarters, bringing together textile and silk shops, jewellery, traditional gifts, local products, cafés and long-established restaurants.Allow time to explore beyond Koza Han. Walking through the wider area reveals the relationship between inns, bazaars and mosques.
The Grand Mosque — Bursa Ulu Cami
The Grand Mosque is one of Bursa’s defining landmarks. Built under Yıldırım Bayezid between 1396 and 1399, it is covered by 20 domes and is an important example of early Ottoman multi-domed mosque architecture.Its extensive calligraphy and decoration are as striking as its scale. Set among the inns and bazaars, it makes a convenient starting or finishing point for a historic walking tour. The official tourism portal provides its construction history and architectural details.
Orhan Gazi Mosque — Orhan Cami
Near the bazaars, Orhan Mosque helps explain Bursa’s expansion beyond the citadel. In the early Ottoman city, new religious and charitable complexes became urban centres around which markets and housing grew. The mosque belongs to the transformation from a walled settlement into an expanding capital.
Tophane and the tombs of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi
Tophane occupies elevated ground near the remains of Bursa’s citadel and contains the tombs of Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi. Closely associated with the state’s beginnings, it offers broad views over the modern city and the areas into which Bursa expanded beyond its walls. There is also a clock tower and space to walk or sit.
When to visit
Tophane works well towards the end of a tour of the bazaars and Grand Mosque. Stay until near sunset to enjoy the view.
The Green Complex — Yeşil Külliyesi
Founded by Çelebi Mehmed I in the early fifteenth century, the Green Complex includes the Green Mosque and Green Tomb. It is associated with the restoration of political and urban stability following the upheaval after the Battle of Ankara in 1402. The Green Mosque — Yeşil Cami
Built in 1419–1420, it is known for its decoration, tiles, stonework and woodwork. The official tourism portal identifies its characteristic Ottoman inverted-T plan. The Green Tomb — Yeşil Türbe
Opposite the mosque stands one of Bursa’s best-known Ottoman tombs, distinguished by turquoise and green tiles. Visiting both buildings gives a fuller impression of the city’s artistic achievement in the early fifteenth century.
Irgandı Bridge — Irgandı Köprüsü
Spanning Gökdere, Irgandı combines a bridge with commercial spaces and shops. It can be included when walking between Yeşil and other historic quarters. Bursa Municipality includes it on its official UNESCO-themed route, alongside inns, mosques and sultans’ complexes; this does not mean that every stop is itself a separately inscribed UNESCO component. Muradiye Complex — Muradiye Külliyesi
West of the historic centre, Muradiye is a major Ottoman architectural site founded by Murad II. The mosque was begun in 1425 and completed in 1426. The complex contains numerous tombs associated with the Ottoman dynasty, and the official tourism portal explains its gradual development as an important dynastic burial ground.Why visit?
The setting is generally quieter than the Grand Mosque and bazaars, offering a different experience centred on architecture, historic tombs and gardens. Hüdavendigar Complex — Hüdavendigar Külliyesi
Associated with Murad I, Hüdavendigar was one of the centres behind Bursa’s westward expansion. Like the other sultans’ complexes, it combined worship, education and social provision. It helps explain a city that grew around several centres rather than a single core.
Cumalıkızık
At the foot of Uludağ, east of Bursa, Cumalıkızık preserves the relationship between the capital and its surrounding villages. Its features include traditional multi-storey houses, narrow stone-paved lanes, a historic mosque and bath, small squares, local foods and products, and a layout adapted to the mountain slopes.The Bursa Governorate describes approximately 270 traditional houses and numerous registered historic buildings.
Bursa and Cumalıkızık on the World Heritage List
The property was inscribed in 2014. Its significance lies in the connections between the trading city, sultans’ complexes, neighbourhoods and rural village. The inscription recognises an urban and rural system that explains the emergence of the first Ottoman capital, rather than just an individual mosque or inn.
A practical historic route
For one day devoted to history:Tophane → Grand Mosque → Khans Area → Koza Han → Orhan Mosque → Irgandı Bridge → Green Mosque and Green Tomb.
With two days:
- Day one: The historic centre, inns and complexes.
- Day two: Cumalıkızık, plus Muradiye or Hüdavendigar according to your interests.
How much time to allow
| Area | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| Grand Mosque and bazaars | 1–2 hours |
| Koza Han and the inns | 1–2 hours |
| Tophane | 45–60 minutes |
| Yeşil and Irgandı | 1–2 hours |
| Muradiye | About 1 hour |
| Cumalıkızık | 2–3 hours |
Visiting tips
Start early
Especially if combining the old city with Cumalıkızık in one day.
Wear comfortable shoes
Expect substantial walking, uneven streets and slopes. Respect prayer times
These are active places of worship. Plan sightseeing around prayers and follow local instructions. Look beyond shopping
The Khans Area is an essential part of Bursa’s economic history.
Explore beyond Koza Han
Nearby lanes, gates, bridges and smaller complexes offer perspectives beyond the familiar tourist photographs.
How does historic Bursa differ from Istanbul?
Istanbul presents the grand imperial period; Bursa reveals the founding and early growth of the Ottoman state. Here the connections between mosque, inn, bath, school, market and village are especially clear, making the city rewarding for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Ottoman history.
Conclusion
Historic Bursa is a living example of a city shaped by sultans’ complexes, trade, endowments and villages. From the Grand Mosque and inns to Tophane, Yeşil, Muradiye and Cumalıkızık, visitors can follow the state’s early growth and Bursa’s development from a fortified city into an influential political, commercial and cultural centre. Explore on foot and connect each building or village with its role in that story. Related topics - Bursa Travel Guide: Districts, Landmarks and Places to Visit
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