Green Mosque, Bursa

The Green Mosque, also known as the Mosque of Mehmed I, is part of a larger complex in eastern Bursa that includes a mausoleum, madrasa, public kitchen, and bathhouse. Its name comes from the green and blue interior tile decorations, and it is part of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Don't miss

• Notice the striking green and blue tilework throughout the interior, especially on the mihrab and recesses, created by the 'Masters of Tabriz'.
• Observe the octagonal white marble fountain with a pool beneath the central dome, illuminated by a lantern overhead.
• Look for the carved marble front portal with a tall, recessed muqarnas niche and unique marble tympana decorated with arabesques.
• See the two minarets on the north facade, which were rebuilt on old bases during the 19th-century restoration and have stone spires carved in a baroque manner.
• The adjacent madrasa building, part of the larger complex.

Getting there

Know before you go

• The mosque forms part of a larger complex with the Green Tomb, madrasa, public kitchen, and bathhouse.
• Green and blue tilework gives the mosque its name, with especially rich decoration around the mihrab.
• The front portal uses carved marble with a tall recessed muqarnas niche and arabesque-decorated tympana.

A bit of history

Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I Çelebi after he reunified the Ottoman Empire, construction began in 1412 and was completed in December 1419 or January 1420. The mosque was supervised by vizier Hacı İvaz Pasha, and decorative work continued after Mehmed I's death, finishing in August 1424. The tiles were created by craftsmen including the “Masters of Tabriz,” reflecting Timurid influence. The mosque suffered damage in the 1855 Bursa earthquake and underwent extensive restorations planned by French architect Léon Parvillée starting in 1863, with further renovations in the 1940s and from 2010 to 2012.