When you step inside Bursa's Green Mosque (Yeşil Camii), you are visiting a masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture built under Sultan Mehmed I between 1412 and 1420. Located in eastern Bursa—the former Ottoman capital—this site forms part of a historic UNESCO World Heritage complex that includes a tomb, madrasa, kitchen, and bathhouse. You should visit to marvel at its incredible craftsmanship, highlighted by rich green and blue interior tile decorations influenced by Timurid and Seljuk art.
As you explore the sandstone structure with its marble-panel exterior, enter through the carved marble portal adorned with a dramatic muqarnas niche. Inside, you will walk up a short stairway framed by marble slipper cubby-holes into a central hallway. At its heart lies an octagonal white marble fountain resting beneath the mosque's highest dome.
Look around the surrounding iwans to admire gold-adorned green hexagonal tiles and step toward the prayer hall to see a towering mihrab featuring colorful geometric tilework and twelve rows of muqarnas. Upstairs, framed by broad corridors and ancient Byzantine columns, rests the royal sultan’s loge adorned with star-patterned gilded tiles, offering a complete look at this restored historical treasure.
What to see at Bursa Green Mosque
- Vibrant green, blue, and gold tilework crafted by masters from Tabriz
- Central hall with an octagonal white marble fountain beneath a domed lantern
- Grand carved marble entryway with muqarnas and delicate arabesque details
- Intricate mihrab featuring colorful tile patterns and twelve muqarnas rows
- Royal sultan's loge decorated with gilded star-and-polygon ceramic tiles
Visiting tips
Notice the historic marble cubby-holes (papuçluk) along the entrance stairway, designed to hold slippers before entering the prayer hall.
How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime
How to get there & what’s nearby
Bursa Green Mosque is easy to reach on Bursa’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Bursa Grand Mosque. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Bursa travel guide.
See the full Bursa travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.