MUSEUMS OF BURSA
Green
Tomb and Muradiye Kulliye :
There
are examples of Ottoman architecture such as the mosque,
medrese, caravanserai, bath and covered bazaar in Bursa.
There is also the Green Tomb and other tombs in the Muradiye
Kulliye. The Green Tomb is north of the Yesil Medrese.
The architect, Haci ivaz Pasa, built it in 1421 for the
Ottoman Sultan Celebi Mehmed I. The tomb is classical
Ottoman, covered with tiles and domed. Inside the tomb
are the tile-covered sarcophagi of Celebi Sultan Mehmed,
his children and their nursemaid. Besides the sarcophagi
are an altar, panels over the window, and masterpieces
of the art of Turkish tiling on the walls.
The
tombs of Murad II, Sehzade Mustafa and Cem Sultan, and
the Mosque of Sultan Murad II in Muradiye Kulliye, are
fine examples of Ottoman architecture and tiling.
Bursa
Art Gallery :
The
Bursa Art Gallery is in the building of the Ahmed Vefik
Pasha Theatre in Republic Square. It contains works of
several Turkish artists and sculptors. Besides exhibitions,
art studies are carried out here.
Bursa
- Ataturk Museum :
Bursa
Ataturk Museum was opened in 1973 in Ataturk House in
Cekirge in Bursa.
The
mansion was built at the end of the nineteenth century.
Bursa Municipality bought the house from its owner and
presented it as a gift to Ataturk when he came to Bursa
on January 20 1923. Ataturk generally stayed and rested
in this mansion during the 13 visits he made to Bursa
between 1922 and 1938. Upon his last visit to the city
on February 1, 1988, Ataturk donated the House and his
share in the Steel Palace to the Municipality.
After
Ataturk's death the Bursa Ataturk House together with
the Steel Palace next door, was given over to the Emekli
Sandigi Bank. Then it was given over to the directorate
of museums. The mansion was given the name Ataturk Museum
after it was repaired.
Ataturk
House is a three story building surrounded by a large
garden. It is one the most beautiful examples of civil
architecture in Bursa, with its spacious rooms, studies
and bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and glass enclosed balconies.
The rooms are furnished with the items used by Ataturk,
and photographs and souvenirs of him.
Mudanya
- Armistice Museum :
Mudanya
Armistice Museum is located in the mansion in which Mudanya
Armistice was signed. It was opened in 1960.
At
the end of the Liberation War an armistice between the
Turkish Grand National Assembly and the Treaty Powers,
took place in Mudanya between October 3, 1922 and October
11, 1922. In this disarmament treaty known as the Mudanya
Armistice, Turkey was represented by Western Front Commander
Ismet Inonu, England by General Harrington, France by
General Charpy and Italy by General Mombelli. After a
week of discussions, the Armistice was signed with a ceremony
at 18.00 on October 11, 1922.
The
house in which the Mudanya Armistice was discussed and
signed has three stories. On the first floor are the studies
of the Turkish Chief Delegate and the delegates of the
Treaty powers, the room where the Armistice was discussed
and signed, and a room for newspapermen. The rooms are
furnished with the original furniture in use at time of
the signing of the Armistice. On the walls are displayed
photographs and documents concerning the Armistice.
On
the second floor are the bedrooms of Ismet Inonu, General
Asim Gunduz and their aide-de-camps, and studies. These
rooms also contain the original furnishings.
Mudanya
Armistice is an important event in the history of the
Turkish national struggle for liberation. The memory of
the Mudanya Armistice is relived in this house.
Iznik
Museum :
The
Iznik Museum is in the province of Bursa. It was first
established as a depot in 1935, in the Yakup Celebi Mosque.
It was later moved to the Nilufer Hatun Soup Kitchen when
that building was repaired. It was opened to the public
in 1960. Sultan Murad I in 1388, in memory of his mother,
built the soup kitchen. The facade of Nilufer Hatun Soup
Kitchen is one of the earliest examples of Ottoman architecture.
It has a row of hewed stone and three rows of bricks.
The interior of the building consists of a central exedra
joined onto the central dome, with two domed side rooms.
At the front is an open colonnade covered with cradle
vaults and a dome.
Archaeological
and ethnographic works of the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine,
Seljuk and Ottoman periods found in the Iznik regions
are exhibited in Iznik Museum. In the garden of the museum
are sarcophagi, bas-reliefs, column capitals, building
stones, steles, and Islamic gravestones. Under the colonnade,
there are inscriptions from the pre-Islamic and Islamic
periods.
In
the domed central section of the museum, there is a marble
sarcophagus with garlands depicting Medusa. There are
also earthenware, and tear and perfume bottles stone axes,
a bust of Zeus, heads of men and women, statuettes. In
the ethnographic section there are flintlock pistols,
rose water bottles, censers, copper dishes, sherbet bowls,
healing cups, manuscripts of the Koran, inscriptions,
writing sets, money and tobacco pouches and embroidered
napkins.
In
the exedra of the museum, there are examples of Iznik
tiles. They are among the finest of Turkish tiles, Iznik
china plates and bowls. The museum has a library.
Yenisehir
- Semaki House :
Yenisehir
Semaki House is an old Turkish house dating from the eighteenth
century. It is situated in Yenisehir, a sub-province of
Bursa. It is known as Semaki House. It was acquired as
public property and preserved. The ceilings and wooden
sections of the two-storied house are decorated with painted
designs. Semaki House is a valuable example of Turkish
civil architecture.
