BURSA PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
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İznik

İznik is such a historical and an ancient city that one may characterize it is an open air museum. Its fertile lands, indigenous climate, and natural beauty lead it to be an attraction center in all the historical periods. It is understood, from prehistoric remnants and the many tumuluses in the area, that İznik was a settlement area in the prehistoric ages. İznik was established with the name “ Antigonia” and was named “Nikaia, Nicaca and İznik” respectively afterwards. İznik which is the first capital of Anatolia was conquered by Sultan Orhan Bey in 1331 and taken under Turkish sovereignty after an interval of 234 years. The city was entirely reconstructed during the period of Murad II and Çandarlılar and many mosques, madrasah, khans, baths were built within that period. İznik is at the same time an important lodging center with its location over the cruise and caravan route from İstanbul to Anatolia. Remnants from many civilizations which reflect the military, political, religious, social and cultural life styles of the past are brought to our age by the historical researches.

 

İznik is a city blended with the remnants of Roman, Byzantium, Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations. Hvpoge, Murad I, Murad II Baths, (Hacı Hamza) İsmail Bey and Meydan Bath, Süleyman Pasha Madrasah, Beştaş Mausoleum (Obelisk), Rüstem Pasha Khan, Dört tepeler Tumulus, Sansarak Canyon, Çandarlı Hayrettin Pasha, Abdullah Vahap Sancaktari and Kırgızlar Dome are among the places worth to see.

  • Ayasofya
  • Ayasofya-2
  • Ayasofya-3
  • Genel
  • Genel-2
  • Genel-3
  • Göldeki Bazalika
  • Göldeki Bazalika-2
  • İhsaniye Köyü
  • İhsaniye Köyü-2
  • İznik Çinisi
  • Roma Tiyatrosu
  • Surlar
  • Yeşi lCami

 
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İznik is established in the south of Marmara, on the eastern shore of the lake, which carries its name, and is 85 km far away from Bursa. Outskirts of Iznik are surrounded by unprecedented city walls that are 5 km of length and are preserved with care being remains from the Roman period. Iznik was an important religious and political center during the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The architecture of the city developed in parallel to this cultural mosaic and these magnificent historical assets have reached until today. The 1st and 7th Council of Christianity gathered here and important decisions were taken. Its history reaching us from the primeval era, being the first Turkish capital of Anatolia; made its actual reputation in the Ottoman period with mastering in tile-making. Iznik Tiles took their place as the rarest works in many museums around the world.

 

Iznik is a center of touristic attraction with many valuable historical assets that are worth seeing, such as Lefke and the Istanbul Gates, the Theater, the Stone Bridge and the Beştaş Monument, the Hagia Sophia Church, Hypoge Catacombs, Böcek Ayazması (Holy Insect Spring) and the Aqueducts, Rüstem Paşa Han and the Green Mosque with its famous ceramic tile works and it is in fact an “Open Air Museum”. The county offers spectacular natural beauties with its monumental trees, green nature, İznik Lake and Sansarak Canyon. We can access the county via the Ankara Road – Yenişehir and the Istanbul Road–Orhangazi.