Yeşil Türbe – The Green Tomb of Bursa

Yeşil Türbe or Green Tomb is the Mausoleum of Sultan Mehmed I:

Yeşil Türbe, the Green Tomb, is one of Bursa’s most distinctive landmarks. Standing on top of a hill in the eastern Yeşil neighborhood in Bursa, this hexagonal green structure is the mausoleum of Mehmed I, the fifth Ottoman sultan.

Yeşil Türbe

Yeşil Türbe was built in 1421 by Murad II, the son and successor of Mehmed I. The mausoleum was designed by Haci Ivaz Pasha who also designed the Yesil Mosque next to it. The mausoleum takes its name from the green-blue tiles that cover the external walls of the mausoleum. These are mostly replacement tiles as an earthquake in 1855 damaged the majority of the originals.

Yesil Türbe Features

We enter the Green Tomb through a portal with a beautiful half-umbrella vault over it. Floral designs made up of Iznik blue and yellow tiles, together with some Islamic inscriptions, decorate this portal. Also at this entrance is a pair of the most beautifully carved walnut doors.

Inside the mausoleum, the sarcophagus of Mehmed I stands on a base in the centre of the room. Covered in exquisite Iznik blue and green tiles, it is richly adorned in Koranic inscriptions. The seven other sarcophagi nearby are those of his sons and daughters and a nursemaid.

Another beautiful feature of Yeşil Türbe is its intricately decorated mihrab. On the lower section, the mosaic tiles depict a lamp hanging above a pot with lush flowers.  Two long candles stand on each side, inscribed with the names of Allah and Mohammad.

See more photos of Yeşil Türbe at Travelsignposts Bursa photo gallery.

Address:
Yeşil Türbe
Yeşil Cadessi, Bursa

Click here to get a free PDF of this post