# Grand Mosque of Bursa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa > Source revision: 1293107478 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 14th-century Ottoman-era mosque in northwestern Turkey Grand Mosque of Bursa Turkish: Bursa Ulu Cami Religion Affiliation Islam Ecclesiastical or organizational status Mosque Status Active Location Location Bursa, Turkey Location of the mosque in Turkey Coordinates 40°11′02″N 29°03′42″E / 40.18389°N 29.06167°E / 40.18389; 29.06167 Architecture Architect Ali Neccar Type Mosque architecture Style Islamic, Ottoman Groundbreaking 1396 Completed 1399; 627 years ago (1399) Specifications Dome 20 Minaret 2 Website kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/bursa/gezilecekyer/bursa-ulu-cami [1] The **Grand Mosque of Bursa** ([Turkish](/source/Turkish_language): *Bursa Ulu Cami*) is a historic [mosque](/source/Mosque) in [Bursa](/source/Bursa), [Turkey](/source/Turkey). It was commissioned by the [Ottoman](/source/Ottoman_Empire) Sultan [Bayezid I](/source/Bayezid_I) to commemorate his great victory at the [Battle of Nicopolis](/source/Battle_of_Nicopolis) and built between 1396 and 1399. The mosque is a major monument of [early Ottoman architecture](/source/Early_Ottoman_architecture) and one of the most important mosques in the city, located in the heart of the old city alongside its historic markets.[2] ## Historical background The *Ulu Cami* or "Great Mosque" is the largest mosque in Bursa, the first capital of the [Ottoman Empire](/source/Ottoman_Empire), and a landmark of early [Ottoman architecture](/source/Ottoman_architecture) as it evolved out of [Seljuk Turkish architecture](/source/Anatolian_Seljuk_architecture). Ordered by [Sultan Bayezid I](/source/Bayezid_I), the [mosque](/source/Mosque) was designed and built by architect [Ali Neccar](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ali_Neccar&action=edit&redlink=1) in 1396–1399.[3][4] Bayezid I was the fourth ruler of the Ottoman Empire. Shortly after the construction of this mosque he suffered one of the empire's worse defeats at the hands of [Timur (Tamerlane)](/source/Timur) at the [Battle of Ankara](/source/Battle_of_Ankara) in 1402.[5] Tradition holds that Timur went on to burn the mosque that same year and that the [Qaramanid](/source/Karamanids) ruler [Mehmed Bey](/source/Mehmet_II_of_Karaman) did so again during a siege of the city in 1412.[6][2][3] Whatever the case, the first recorded repairs to the mosque took place in 1493.[2] The mosque underwent further restorations across its history. Following a damaging [earthquake in 1855](/source/1855_Bursa_earthquake) which caused the roof to collapse, the mosque was closed for a number of years.[7] Repairs were completed in 1889.[2] ## Architecture Video: Interior of the Grand Mosque of Bursa, 2017 The interior of the mosque The mosque is a large rectangular building measuring 55 by 69 meters with an interior surface area of 3165.5 square meters.[6][4] It has three entrances (to the north, west and east), of which the northern entrance is the most monumental.[6] Its interior space is covered by twenty [domes](/source/Domes) arranged in four rows of five that are supported by twelve columns.[6][2] The space can hold 5000 individuals.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] A popular tradition holds that Sultan Bayezid I built a mosque of twenty domes instead of building twenty separate mosques which he had promised in return for winning the [Battle of Nicopolis](/source/Battle_of_Nicopolis) in 1396.[8] At the mosque's center is a unique fountain ([*şadırvan*](/source/Shadirvan)) over a water basin with eighteen corners, which in its current form dates from the 19th century.[2] The fountain and water basin helped worshipers in performing their ritual [ablutions](/source/Wudu). The dome over the şadırvan is open to the sky (though covered by glass today), creating a [skylight](/source/Skylight) which helps to illuminate the mosque's dark interior.[2][6] The mosque has two [minarets](/source/Minaret). While the western minaret is directly attached to the mosque and dates to the time of Bayezid I, the eastern minaret stands detached, suggesting that it may have been built at another time separately from the mosque.[6] The mosque's walls are painted with [Ottoman Baroque](/source/Ottoman_Baroque_architecture)-style decoration from the 19th century, as well as with [calligraphic](/source/Arabic_calligraphy) compositions from the 18th to early 20th centuries.[2] The *[mihrab](/source/Mihrab)* (niche symbolizing the [direction of prayer](/source/Qibla)), carved with a canopy of *[muqarnas](/source/Muqarnas)*, dates from 1572 by a craftsman named Mehmed and was commissioned by a patron named Zeyni Çelebi.[6] Its painted and [gilded](/source/Gilding) decoration dates from 1905.[6] The wooden *[minbar](/source/Minbar)*, next to the mihrab, is made in the traditional [Anatolian Seljuk](/source/Sultanate_of_Rum) style using the *kundekari* technique (using interlocking pieces of wood held together without nails or glue).[2][6] The surfaces of the minbar are carved with [geometric patterns](/source/Islamic_geometric_patterns) and [arabesque](/source/Arabesque) floral patterns. According to a carved inscription, it was made by a craftsman named Hacı Mehmed of Antep, son of Abdülaziz, in 1400.[6] [Earthquakes](/source/Earthquake) are a major structural concern for the mosque, as they are with other buildings in Turkey. “Earthquakes are considerable threats to historically and culturally significant buildings in Turkey, with its active tectonics and seismicity”.[9][*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)*] The mosque was seriously damaged by earthquake at least once in 1855, which required its closure for many years and major repairs and reconstruction.[2] ## Islamic calligraphy in the mosque The Grand Mosque is well known for its decorative [calligraphy](/source/Calligraphy) and has even been called a “calligraphy museum”.[7] In [Islamic architecture](/source/Islamic_architecture), [Arabic calligraphy](/source/Arabic_calligraphy) became a major element for visual decoration and communicating meaning to visitors.[10] The mosque contains 192 monumental wall inscriptions, consisting of 87 different compositions written by 41 different major Ottoman calligraphers of that period.[7] Most of the calligraphy dates from between 1778 and 1938.[6] The calligraphy is painted on the walls, columns and on small and large plates or medallions. The compositions include [Qur'anic](/source/Quran) verses, [hadiths](/source/Hadith), the [99 names](/source/Names_of_God_in_Islam) of [Allah](/source/Allah), the different names of the [Prophet Muhammad](/source/Muhammad), and the names of major Islamic scholars.[10][2] ## Gallery - One of the [minarets](/source/Minaret) - [Ablution](/source/Wudu) fountain ([şadırvan](/source/Shadirvan)) in the courtyard - The main northern entrance of the mosque - View of the center of the mosque, near the skylight - The skylight over the fountain of the mosque - The interior [şadırvan](/source/Shadirvan) - [Calligraphy](/source/Arabic_calligraphy) on the walls - The [mihrab](/source/Mihrab) - The [minbar](/source/Minbar) - The decoration of the minbar - Details of the upper parts of the minbar and mihrab Panoramic interior view of the mosque, August 2009 ## See also - [Turkey portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Turkey) - [Islam portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Islam) - [List of Turkish Grand Mosques](/source/List_of_Turkish_Grand_Mosques) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bursa_Tesisat_1-0)** ["Bursa Su Tesisatı"](https://bursatesisatcim.com/). *Bursa Tesisat* (in Turkish). 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2024. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:2_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:2_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:2_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:2_2-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:2_2-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:2_2-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:2_2-10) ["Bursa Ulu Cami | Archnet"](https://archnet.org/sites/1914). *archnet.org*. Retrieved 2020-04-25. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_3-1) ["Bursa Ulu Camii Kim Yaptırdı"](http://www.bursaulucamii.com/kim.html). *www.bursaulucamii.com*. Retrieved 2020-04-25. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_4-1) ["Ulucami; Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Döneminde Yapılmış Bütün Camilerin Atası"](http://www.bursa.gov.tr/ulucami). *www.bursa.gov.tr*. Retrieved 2020-04-25. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Gibbons, Herbert (2013). *The Foundation of the Ottoman Empire: A History of the Osmanlis up to the Death of Bayezid I, 1300-1403*. Routledge: Routledge. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:1_6-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:1_6-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:1_6-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:1_6-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:1_6-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:1_6-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:1_6-10) Demiralp, Yekta. ["Great Mosque (Ulu Cami)"](http://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tr;Mon01;16;en). *Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers*. Retrieved April 24, 2020. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_7-2) ["Bursa's most prominent landmark: The Grand Mosque"](https://www.dailysabah.com/feature/2018/06/18/bursas-most-prominent-landmark-the-grand-mosque). *DailySabah*. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-11-22. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *The Rough Guide to Turkey*. Rough Guides. 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Makalesi, A (2016). "INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF MODELING APPROACHES ON EARTHQUAKE BEHAVIOR OF HISTORICAL MASONRY MINARETS - BURSA GRAND MOSQUE CASE STUDY". *Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi, İnşaat Fakültesi, İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü, Esenler*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_10-1) Gharipour, M (2013). *Calligraphy and Architecture in the Muslim World*. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Grand Mosque of Bursa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa). - [BursaUluCamii.com Official Website](http://www.bursaulucamii.com/) - [Images of Bursa Grand Mosque](http://wowturkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3788) - [Images of Bursa Ulu Mosque](https://web.archive.org/web/20090813105814/http://www.waitmeturkey.com/bursa-ulu-cami-or-grand-mosque.html) - [Picture gallery of the mosque](http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/bursaulu) v t e Mosques in Turkey Ankara Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Aslanhane Hacı Bayram Kocatepe Maltepe Melike Hatun Antalya Korkut Murat Pasha Omer Pasha Tekeli Mehmet Pasha Yivli Minaret Bursa Bayezid I Emir Sultan Grand Green Hüdavendigar Muradiye Orhan Gazi Veled-i Yaniç Diyarbakır Behram Pasha Great Hazreti Süleyman Sheikh Matar Edirne Evliya Kasim Pasha Muradiye Old Selimiye Üç Şerefeli Istanbul Altunizade Arap Atik Mustafa Pasha Atik Valide Ayazma Bayezid II Bebek Beylerbeyi Blue (Sultan Ahmed) Böcekli Bodrum Burmalı Çamlıca Çinili Defterdar Dolmabahçe Emirgan Eski Imaret Eyüp Sultan Fatih Fenari Isa Firuz Agha Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Gül Hadim Ibrahim Pasha Hagia Sophia Handan Agha Haseki Sultan Hirami Ahmet Pasha Hırka-i Şerif İskender Pasha, Fatih İskender Pasha, Kanlıca Imrahor Kalenderhane Kara Ahmed Pasha Kariye Kasım Agha Kefeli Kılıç Ali Pasha Koca Mustafa Pasha Küçük Mecidiye Laleli Little Hagia Sophia Manastır Mesih Mehmed Pasha Mihrimah Sultan, Edirnekapı Mihrimah Sultan, Üsküdar Molla Çelebi Muhammad Maarifi Murat Pasha Nallı New Nışançı Mehmed Pasha Nuruosmaniye Nusretiye Ortaköy Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Piri Mehmed Pasha Piyale Pasha Rum Mehmed Pasha Rüstem Pasha Şakirin Sanki Yedim Sancaktar Hayrettin Sancaklar Şehzade Selimiye Şemsi Pasha Şeyh Süleyman Sinan Pasha Şişli Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Azapkapı Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Büyükçekmece Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, Kadırga Süleymaniye Taksim Teşvikiye Vasat Atik Ali Pasha Vefa Yavuz Selim Yeni Valide Yıldız Hamidiye Zal Mahmud Pasha Zeynep Sultan Zeyrek İzmir Başdurak Birgi Grand Hisar İsa Bey Kestanepazarı Salepçioğlu Yalı İznik Green Haji Özbek Konya Akşehir Grand Alâeddin Aziziye Eşrefoğlu Ferruhşah Hacıveyiszade Kileci Selimiye Taşmedrese Mersin Bilal-i Habeşi Güzeloluk Laal Pasha Mersin Grand Mersin Old Müftü Muğdat Tarsus Grand Tarsus Old Trabzon Fatih İskender Pasha Nakip New Friday Elsewhere Abdülhamid Han Adana Great Ala, Kadirli Alaeddin, Eskişehir Alaaddin, Sinop Avcılar Great Central Aziziye, Konya Behramşah Boyacı Çapanoğlu Divriği Great Göğceli Habib'i Neccar Hafsa Sultan İlyas Bey İzzet Mehmet Pasha İzzet Pasha Kahramanmaraş Grand Kazdağlı Kazim Bulut Kurşunlu Kuyularonu Liberation Mahmut Bey Menüçehr Nasrullah Niğde Alaaddin Oil Pertev Pasha Reşadiye Şaban Ağa Sabancı Merkez Şirvani Sivas Grand Sivrihisar Grand Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Uşak Grand Zagan Pasha Zeynel Abidin Category List Islam in Turkey Ottoman architecture Mosques by country v t e Ottoman architecture Historical stages Early Ottoman architecture Classical Ottoman architecture Tulip Period architecture Ottoman Baroque architecture Ottoman architecture in the 19th–20th centuries First national architectural movement (See also: Ottoman decoration) Other regional styles Algeria Bosnia and Herzegovina Cyprus Egypt Palestine Serbia Tunisia Mosques Istanbul Altunizade Mosque Atik Valide Mosque Ayazma Mosque Bayezid II Mosque Beylerbeyi Mosque Büyükdere Kara Mehmet Kethüda Mosque Çinili Mosque Dolmabahçe Mosque Eyüp Sultan Mosque Fatih Mosque Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque Haseki Sultan Mosque Hırka-i Şerif Mosque Laleli Mosque Mahmut Pasha Mosque Mesih Mehmed Pasha Mosque Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Edirnekapı) Mihrimah Sultan Mosque (Üsküdar) Muradiye Complex Murat Pasha Mosque Nışançı Mehmed Pasha Mosque Nuruosmaniye Mosque Ortaköy Mosque Piyale Pasha Mosque Şehzade Mosque Selimiye Mosque Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Azapkapı) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Büyükçekmece) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Kadırga) Sultanahmet Mosque Süleymaniye Mosque Vasat Atik Ali Pasha Mosque Yavuz Selim Mosque Yeni Valide Mosque (Eminönü) Yeni Valide Mosque (Üsküdar) Yıldız Hamidiye Mosque Other cities Ali Pasha Mosque Bajrakli Mosque Bayezid I Mosque Behram Pasha Mosque Bursa Grand Mosque Çapanoğlu Mosque Dzhumaya Mosque Emir Sultan Mosque Esmahan Sultan Mosque Evliya Kasim Pasha Mosque Ferhadija Mosque Ferhat Pasha Mosque (Banja Luka) Ferhat Pasha Mosque (Sarajevo) Fethiye Mosque (Athens) Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque Green Mosque of Bursa (Yeşil Mosque) Green Mosque of İznik Hadum Mosque Haji Özbek Mosque Hüdavendigar Mosque Ibrahim Pasha Mosque İzzet Mehmet Pasha Mosque Juma-Jami Mosque Karađoz Bey Mosque Kasım Pasha Mosque Muradiye Complex (Bursa) Muradiye Mosque (Edirne) Murat Pasha Mosque Old Mosque of Edirne Orhan Gazi Mosque Osman Shah Mosque Selimiye Mosque Sinan Pasha Mosque (Prizren) Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque (Lüleburgaz) Sulayman Pasha Mosque Suleymaniye Mosque Tombul Mosque Tzistarakis Mosque Üç Şerefeli Mosque Veled-i Yaniç Mosque Yakovalı Hasan Paşa Mosque Madrasas Büyük Aga Medrese Caferağa Medrese Medrese of Mehmet Şakir Paşa Rüstem Pasha Medrese Türbes (tombs) Green Tomb (Yeşil Türbe) Tomb of Abdul Hamid I Tomb of Hayreddin Barbarossa Tomb of Turhan Sultan Caravanserais Büyük Han Büyük Valide Han Büyük Yeni Han Hafsa Sultan Caravanserai Kapan Han Khan al-Umdan Khan As'ad Pasha Koza Han Kürkçü Han Öküz Mehmed Pasha Caravanserai Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Edirne) Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Ereğli) Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Erzurum) Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai Hospitals Complex of Sultan Bayezid II Bridges Arslanagić Bridge Mostar Bridge Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge Uzunköprü Bridge Fortifications Ajyad Fortress Anadoluhisarı Depedogen Castle of Kars Kilitbahir Castle Rumelihisarı Yedikule Fortress Kalemegdan Yeni-Kale Palaces Azm Palace Beylerbeyi Palace Çırağan Palace Dolmabahçe Palace Eski Saray Grand Serail Hatice Sultan Palace Ishak Pasha Palace Topkapi Palace Yıldız Palace Clock towers Büyük Saat Dolmabahçe Clock Tower Etfal Hospital Clock Tower İzmir Clock Tower İzmit Clock Tower Jaffa Clock Tower Nusretiye Clock Tower Yıldız Clock Tower Fountains Fountain of Ahmed III Fountain of Ahmed III (Üsküdar) Tophane Fountain Sultan Mahmut Fountain Hammams Bayezid II Hamam Bey Hamam Büyük Hamam Cağaloğlu Hamam Čifte Hammam Davud Pasha Hamam Çemberlitaş Hamam Hürrem Sultan Hamam Király Baths Mahmut Pasha Hamam Ömeriye Baths Süleymaniye Hamam Tahtakale Hamam Rudas Baths other monuments Köprülü Library Mihrişah Sultan Complex Nilüfer Hatun Imareti Imaret (Kavala) Authority control databases Geographic Structurae Other Kulturenvanteri monument --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Grand Mosque of Bursa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mosque_of_Bursa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.