|
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 Uludag, which is a ski
resort and national park. The most significant lakes are lake Iznik and
Uluabat.
Bursa (formerly known as Brusa, Prusa) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the governmental center of Bursa Province. With a population of 1,194,687 (2000 census), it is Turkey's fourth largest city. It was known in the antiquity and the medieval period with the name Prusa. The city is known as "Yeşil Bursa" (meaning "Green Bursa") from its beautiful parks and gardens located throughout the city. The city is famous for its ski resorts (on the mountain of Uludağ), the mausoleums of Ottoman sultans, the surrounding fertile plain, thermal baths and Karagöz & Hacivat shadow puppets. It is also the home of some famous Turkish foods, especially candied chestnuts, peaches, and a meat dish called Iskender Kebap.
History
The earliest known site at this location was Cius, which Philip V of Macedonia granted to the Bithynian king Prusias I in 202 BC, for his help against Pergamum and Heraclea Pontica (modern Karadeniz Ereğli). Prusias renamed the city for himself, Prusa.
It was later a major city, located on the westernmost end of the famous Silk Road, and was the capital of the Ottoman Empire following its capture from the Byzantines in 1326 until the capture of Edirne in 1365 and remained an important administrative and commercial center even after it lost its status as the capital. During the rule of the Ottomans, Bursa was the source of most royal silk products. It received the raw silk from Iran, and occasionally China, and was the 'factory' for the kaftans, pillows, embroidery and other silk products for the royal palaces up through the 17th century. Some of these included golden or silver silk thread which were of particular luxury because they were made by wrapping extremely thin gold or silver wire around a single silk thread by hand. Another traditional occupation is knife making and horse carriage building. Nowadays you can still find hand made knifes, and instead of carriages, there is a big automobile industry.
Bursa sits on a geologic fault like most of Turkey. The city has been partially leveled by strong earthquakes coupled by fires and rebuilt after each time. The last devastating earthquake happened in 1885.
Economy
Bursa is the center of the Turkish automobile industry, where FIAT and Renault have located their factories, as well as textile and food industries where Coca Cola, Pepsi and many canned food factories are present in the city's organized industrial zones. Traditionally Bursa was famous with its fertile soil and agricultural activities, which are decreasing due to the heavy industrialization of the city. Bursa also is a major tourist attraction: One of the best ski resorts of Turkey is located at Uludağ just next to city proper. Thermal baths have been used in therapy through Roman times, apart from baths operated by hotels, Uludağ University has a physical therapy center using the thermal water. In Bursa district the ancient city of Nicea, (İznik), is the place where the first ecumenical conference of bishops was held which resulted in the phrasing of the Nicene Creed.
|
