Bursa Grand Mosque, Ottoman mosque in Bursa, Turkey.
Bursa Grand Mosque is an Ottoman place of worship in the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa, featuring a large prayer hall with load-bearing stone pillars and multiple domed roofs. The interior spaces display calligraphy on the walls and a fountain at the center beneath an open roof that allows daylight through.
Sultan Bayezid I commissioned the building between the late 14th and early 15th century after winning a battle in the Balkans. Craftsmen from Anatolian tradition carried out the construction and shaped the style with elements from earlier regional buildings.
The name Ulu Cami means great mosque and locals often refer to it simply as Ulu in everyday conversation. The ornate script panels along the interior walls draw visitors who come to experience the religious setting and take in the decorated surfaces.
Shoes must be removed before entering and loose clothing is advisable that covers arms and legs. The prayer hall is best visited outside prayer times when fewer people are present.
The octagonal water basin at the center stands beneath an open dome that illuminates the space from above. This construction was rare in Ottoman mosques of that period and creates a bright focal point indoors.
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