Situation
The Early Ottoman capital of Bursa, formerly called Broussa and known in antiquity as Prusa, lies about 100km/62mi south of Istanbul as the crow flies, and some 30km/19mi inland from the Sea of Marmara. It occupies a limestone terrace on the northwest side of Uludag, the
terrace being dissected by the Gök Dere and the Djilimbos, two mountain streams.
The town
Blessed with a delightful climate and the loveliest of settings south of the Karadag coastal uplands, Bursa with its picturesque Old Town and magnificent buildings (mosques and türbes) is one of the highlights of any visit to Turkey. The town also enjoys a long-standing reputation as a spa, the thermal springs in the northwestern suburb of Çekirge, popular even in Roman times, attracting large numbers of visitors (modern baths and up-to-date treatment facilities). Agriculture, mainly fruit and vegetable-growing, flourishes in the fertile surrounding countryside; Bursa peaches are renowned throughout Turkey). With its several large textile factories centered around an efficient and productive silk-spinning mill, Bursa, provincial capital and university town (faculty of agriculture), is one of Turkey's most prosperous communities. In recent years a number of metal-working companies have also become established.
History
The town is said to have been founded by King Prusias I of Bythnia in 186 B.C., the first settlement being on the citadel hill. Under Trajan the baths were rebuilt, and a library was established by Pliny the Younger, then governor of Bythnia. In Byzantine times the town's prosperity continued to rely mainly on its thermal springs. After falling into Seljuk hands in 1097, followed by another period of Byzantine rule, Bursa became the first capital of the Ottoman Sultans, a status it retained until 1361. Its great heyday was in the 15th century, which has left many monuments of art and architecture. During the 19th century it suffered destruction by fire and earthquake.
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