GTurkiye

Ulu Mosque, Bursa, Turkey

Ulu Mosque (Center): It was constructed between in 1396 and 1400 by Yildirim Bayezit, fully made up of cut stone, with very thick and high walls, 12 heavy four edged grade, with pendantives as of 20 domes. It is the most classical and monumental sample of the multi – domed mosques. It has the biggest size (318 square meters) among all of the Turkish mosques with its rich and roomy space. Its balcony with small tenon panels, finely processed with Greek and palmettes, parapet networks with geometrical samples, inscription on its front side and networked corolla is a master piece of art of transition from Seljuk style to Ottoman style. According to the rumor related with the construction of sadirvan; some lands should have been nationalized for construction of Ulu Mosque.

Sadirvan’s place was belonged to a Jewish woman. This woman who did not want to give her land had seen in her dream one night that everybody was running to the same direction. She curiously asked them where they were going, and took the respond of “Heaven!”. She also wanted to run but they stopped her, as she was not giving her land. Jewish woman who had impressed much from this dream, had gave her land next day on condition that they would build a sadirvan. When the construction process of the mosque discontinue due to financial problems, Christian and Jewish communities supplied a certain amount of money, then in return Muslims used the stones on which David’s Star and Cross signs are engraved on the windows of the mosque to show their gratitude.