Bursa, Türkiye
Mosque in Bursa, northwestern Turkey
The Green Mosque, Yeşil Camii or Mosque of Mehmed I, in eastern Bursa, is part of a larger complex with the Green Tomb, a madrasa, a public kitchen and a bathhouse, all within the Bursa UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sultan Mehmed I Çelebi commissioned it after reuniting the Ottoman state following the long war between his brothers that came after their father Bayezid I's defeat at Ankara in 1402, so it stands for the empire's recovery. Building began in 1412 and, according to the inscription over the portal, finished in 1419 or 1420, supervised by the vizier Hacı İvaz Pasha, its architect and patron of the arts. It is seen as the culmination of the early Ottoman style, with a T-shaped plan and an indoor fountain. Its name comes from the superb green and blue tiles that clothe the interior, made by craftsmen from Tabriz, at their richest on the soaring mihrab and the sultan's gilded upper loge. Opposite is the Green Tomb, where Mehmed I lies, clad in green tiles outside, while tea gardens beside the mosque look out over the valley and Mount Uludağ, and its madrasa now houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts.
Visitors are welcome outside prayer times, with modest dress and headscarves for women. Allow an hour for the mosque and Green Tomb, plus the museum in the madrasa next door. Then sit in one of the tea gardens for the view over Bursa and Uludağ. The area is on a hill east of the centre, a short climb.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MosqueBursa, Türkiye
