Emir Sultan Mosque

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The original 14th-century mosque was destroyed in the 1766 Bursa earthquake and completely rebuilt in 1804 by Sultan Selim III.

2. 2

   Emir Sultan, born Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Bukhari, was a scholar from Bukhara who settled in Bursa and married the daughter of Sultan Bayezid I.

3. 3

   The mosque complex includes an auxiliary cemetery that has served as a burial site for notable Bursa residents for centuries.

4. 4

   The interior is noted for its early 19th-century Baroque-style floral decorations and wooden ceiling work, which differ significantly from the classical Ottoman style.

5. 5

   The site is designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage area of Bursa and Cumalıkızık.

6. 6

   The mosque courtyard features a century-old plane tree, common in historic Bursa religious complexes.

Overview

The Emir Sultan Mosque, located in the Yıldırım district of Bursa, is a 19th-century reconstruction of an earlier 14th-century religious complex originally commissioned by Hundi Hatun, wife of Sultan Bayezid I. It serves as the final resting place of Emir Sultan, a prominent dervish and advisor to Sultan Bayezid I. The current structure, dating to the late Ottoman period, features a square plan covered by a large central dome and is flanked by two slender minarets. The courtyard contains an ablution fountain and houses the tomb of Emir Sultan alongside the graves of his family. The complex is situated on a hillside overlooking the city, providing a panoramic view of the Bursa plain. It remains an active place of worship and a significant site for local pilgrimage.

Insider tips

• Remove footwear before entering the carpeted prayer area and use the provided shelving.

• Plan your visit to coincide with non-prayer times to avoid interrupting congregants.

• Take a walk through the adjacent historic cemetery to view traditional Ottoman headstones.