Bursa - The Divine City in a Canopy of Green
The Divine City in a Canopy of Green. The French poet Henri de Regnier described Bursa, Turkey’s fifth largest city, which is located on the skirts of Uludağ and surrounded by forests and canopies of green, as a “divine city”. According to Karacaoğlan, Bursa with its roses, violets, scenic beauty and historical edifices is like a “gateway to desire”.
Bursa, which was selected by UNESCO as the city which preserves its environment in the most original manner in Europe, is a place where nature, history, greenery and architecture are unified in an environment of beautiful harmony. Koza Square in the city reflects one of the most beautiful examples of this wholeness. The mosques around Koza Square, the Koza Han (Inn), the restored old houses, historical plane trees and surrounding cafes, covered bazaars and fountains impart in one, a great admiration. Bursa, famous for its silk, towels and thermal baths, is also a large industrial city. The automotive and textile industries are particularly highly developed.
Uludağ National Park, an ideal center for winter sports with its modern facilities, is located to the south of the city in an area which has many structures dating from the Ottoman Period. İznik Lake, to the northeast of Bursa is a region of great beauty. The lake is surrounded by forests and vineyards. İznik, which was an important settlement during the Byzantine and Roman periods, preserved this trait during the Ottoman Period. The most beautiful examples of ceramic art in the world were made in İznik by Ottoman ceramic masters. Çekirge is the thermal springs center of Bursa.
