Muradiye Complex

The Muradiye complex was founded by Murad II in the 1420s - a mosque, madrasa, bathhouse and soup kitchen - and it became the burial ground of the Ottoman dynasty before the court moved to Istanbul. Twelve türbes stand in a walled garden of cypresses, roses and old plane trees, and each is different: some plain and domed, others lined with İznik and Kütahya tile, painted plaster, carved wood and coloured glass, so walking between them is a compressed lesson in how Ottoman decorative taste changed across a century. Murad II's own tomb is deliberately austere, open to the sky over the grave at his instruction. Others hold princes and sultans' children, several of whom died in the succession struggles of the period. The garden is exceptionally quiet - Bursa's visitors mostly go to Ulu Cami and the bazaar - and it forms part of the UNESCO listing for Bursa and Cumalıkızık.

History

Sultan Murad II, who reigned from 1421 to 1451, built the complex after the Green Mosque, beginning with the mosque, finished in 1426, along with a madrasa, a bath and a soup kitchen; it holds twelve tombs, most of them of his relatives, among them Murad II himself, Cem Sultan and Şehzade Mustafa. An earthquake in 1855 damaged much of it, restorations were completed late in the 19th century and again in 2015, one minaret fell in that earthquake and was rebuilt in 1904, and the complex is part of a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Muradiye Complex).

What's there

• The twelve tombs - the türbes ranged through the garden.
• The tilework - İznik and Kütahya interiors in several.
• Murad II's grave - open to the sky by his own instruction.
• The garden - cypress, rose and plane under the walls.

When to go

April to June and September to October, when the garden is at its best. Mornings; individual türbes open on a rota and not all are unlocked at once.

Before you go

Not every tomb is open on any given day - a custodian unlocks them in turn. Interiors are dim. It is a burial ground, so keep quiet and dress modestly.

Nearby

The Ulu Cami and covered bazaar are in the centre; the Green Mosque and Green Tomb are on the eastern side.

Key facts