World Heritage Identification Number: 1452
World Heritage since: 2014
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Buildings & Architectural Ensembles
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇹🇷 Türkiye
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Bursa and Cumalıkızık: A Historical Journey into the Birthplace of the Ottoman Empire
The City of Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık, located in the southwestern Marmara region of Turkey, form a significant historical site known as "Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire." Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, this serial nomination offers a unique insight into the establishment of the Ottoman Empire in the early 14th century.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This property is a serial nomination of eight component sites in the City of Bursa and the nearby village of Cumalıkızık, in the southern Marmara region. The site illustrates the creation of an urban and rural system establishing the Ottoman Empire in the early 14th century. The property embodies the key functions of the social and economic organization of the new capital which evolved around a civic centre. These include commercial districts of khans, kulliyes (religious institutions) integrating mosques, religious schools, public baths and a kitchen for the poor, as well as the tomb of Orhan Ghazi, founder of the Ottoman dynasty. One component outside the historic centre of Bursa is the village of Cumalıkızık, the only rural village of this system to show the provision of hinterland support for the capital.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): Bursa was created and managed by the first Ottoman sultans, through an innovative and ingenious system, which developed an unprecedented urban planning process. Using the semi-religious Ahi brotherhood organizations to run commercial life, and making the best use of the public endowment system Waqf (relating kulliyes and villages), they established kulliyes as nuclei providing all public infrastructure services prior to the creation of neighbourhoods. These centres allowed for the fast establishment of a vivid, sustainable new capital for one of the most rapidly expanding empires of the world.
Criterion (ii): Bursa, as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, was of key importance as a reference for the development of later Ottoman cities. The new urban development approach introduced by the early Ottoman Sultans was based on the construction of public infrastructure complexes outside the existing city core surrounded by walls, and created a new town for non-urban population, which became the model Ottoman city, later referenced throughout the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. The new capital, with its social, religious and commercial functions reflects the values of the society and the values it accepted from its neighbours, during long years of migration from central Asia to the West. This is also reflected in the integration of Byzantine, Seljuk, Arab, Persian and other influences in architectural stylistics.
Criterion (iv): Bursa and Cumalıkızık illustrate the first capital of the Ottoman Sultans, rulers of an Empire reaching from Anatolia to Yemen and including parts of Europe and North Africa for hundreds of years, which developed a unique architectural plan called “Bursa style” or “inverted T plan”. In the first stage, the inverted T planned mosques, with guest rooms, were able to meet the functions of independent buildings such as public kitchen and madrasah, which were constructed in the complexes as separate buildings, in later stages. Kulliyes, as social units, meeting the requirements of the society and facilitating life, shaped the city by taking the multifunctional structure of this plan type as an example. In other words, the multifunctional inverted T plan is an exceptional building type which illustrates uniquely the city planning system in Bursa. These kulliyes, with their individual buildings constitute the urban nuclei of this system and characteristically shape the urban landscape of Bursa. While individual architectural components in Bursa can be considered as outstanding examples of architectural type, this criterion is met through the ensembles, created by these components (khans, bedesten, mosques, madrasahs, tombs, hamams, and houses).
Criterion (vi): Bursa is directly associated with important historical events, myths, ideas and traditions from the early Ottoman period. The mystic image of the city, created through the presence of the tombs of early Ottoman sultans and the famous Hacivat and Karagöz characters who were workers in the construction of the Orhan Ghazi Kulliye, retains close associations to early Ottoman life. Many sultans and courtiers, then the leaders of the Muslim World, recognized the importance of Bursa as the spiritual capital of the Ottoman Empire, even after the conquest of İstanbul and demonstrated their loyalty to their ancestors and the city, by choosing Bursa as the location for burial.
Encyclopedia Record: Bursa
Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. It is the fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the Marmara Region after Istanbul. According to 2025 end of year estimate, the province has a population of 3,263,011 while Bursa city has a population of around 2.5 million. Bursa is one of the centers of Turkey's automotive production, becoming an industrial center of the country. The city provides various places of interest.Additional Site Details
Area: 27.467 hectares
Number of Components: 8
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 40.1847305556 , 29.0623361111
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© see above, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Between empire and industry: negotiating urban heritage, modernization, and identity in Bursa, Türkiye
Heritage-led urban transformation in Bursa, Türkiye, reveals how UNESCO designation and neoliberal policies prioritize monumental Ottoman legacies while marginalizing Republican-era industrial heritage. This study demonstrates that such processes reshape urban space through commodification, selective remembrance, and symbolic exclusion, often at the expense of everyday urban practices and social equity. By integrating Lefebvre’s production of space, Halbwachs’ politics of collective memory, and Harvey’s concept of spatial justice, the research highlights tensions between preservation, modernization, and spatial justice in post-imperial cities under global heritage regimes.
ARAS, A. (2026). Between empire and industry: negotiating urban heritage, modernization, and identity in Bursa, Türkiye. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-07349-y
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Evaluating World Heritage Management through the Sustainable Development Goals: A Review of the Bursa 2021–2026 Management Plan
A novel semi-quantitative SDG assessment model reveals that Bursa and Cumalıkızık's 2021–2026 World Heritage Management Plan strongly aligns with SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships), while underrepresenting SDGs 4 (Education) and 8 (Economic Growth). This first systematic application of such a framework to a Turkish heritage site highlights operational gaps in educational programming and community engagement, despite adherence to UNESCO's Historic Urban Landscape principles. The study introduces a replicable evaluation matrix for future sustainability planning.
Battal, İ. G. (2026). Evaluating World Heritage Management through the Sustainable Development Goals: A Review of the Bursa 2021–2026 Management Plan. Heritage Management [Working Title]. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1016989
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Innovative Business Models in Cultural Tourism: The Case of Cumalıkızık
Cumalıkızık, a UNESCO-listed Ottoman-era village in Bursa, demonstrates how innovative cultural tourism models can simultaneously preserve heritage and boost local economies. The study identifies key strategies that enhance visitor experiences while supporting sustainable economic growth for communities. Analysis of Tripadvisor reviews and Google restaurant ratings revealed actionable insights to differentiate Cumalıkızık's offerings, providing a blueprint for other culturally rich sites. This approach contrasts with traditional tourism models by prioritizing enrichment and sustainability, offering a scalable solution for heritage conservation through economic development.
Yucel, E., & Bayram Arlı, N. (2025). Innovative Business Models in Cultural Tourism: The Case of Cumalıkızık. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business, Management and Leadership, 2(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.33422/icbml.v2i1.963
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Sustainable Business Model Innovation
A sustainable business model innovation for Cumalıkızık Village successfully integrates cultural heritage preservation, local development, and digitalization. The model, developed using Gassmann's Magic Triangle and the Business Model Canvas framework within the REMODEL Horizon Europe Project, leverages competitor analysis, field observations, and stakeholder interviews to create concrete strategies. It offers a practical roadmap for stakeholders aiming to innovate in tourism while addressing sustainability challenges.
Arsoy, A. P., Arlı, N. B., Yücel, E., & Ertan, Y. (2025). Sustainable Business Model Innovation. Harnessing Innovation for Personalized Tourism, 389–430. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-2053-3.ch015
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Sustainable Business Model Innovation: The Case of Cumalikiz Restaurant
Cumalıkızık Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Ottoman architecture and cultural richness, faces sustainability challenges due to seasonal tourism surges. A study highlights that while tourism significantly boosts the village's economy, it also strains infrastructure such as parking and traffic management during peak seasons. Additionally, the lack of diversity in services, particularly the dominance of breakfast offerings among restaurants, limits the village's potential for sustainable growth. The research suggests that addressing these issues through innovative business models could enhance both economic resilience and environmental sustainability in heritage sites like Cumalıkızık.
Poroy Arsoy, A., Bayram Arlı, N., Yücel, E., & Ertan, Y. (2025). SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION: THE CASE OF CUMALIKIZ RESTAURANT. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.17110293
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Architectural Characteristics and Conservation Proposals for Greek Orthodox Churches of the Ottoman Period: The Case of Bursa
Greek Orthodox churches in Bursa, built during the Ottoman period, exhibit unique architectural characteristics and face significant conservation challenges. The study identifies their original configurations through restitution studies and proposes tailored conservation strategies to ensure their protection, continued use, and transmission to future generations. It also explores the historical context of church construction under Ottoman rule, highlighting how restrictions were gradually lifted by the mid-19th century, allowing non-Muslim communities to build new places of worship. The research combines architectural documentation, including photographs and drawings, with an assessment of conservation needs, providing a comprehensive approach to preserving these cultural heritage sites.
AYDIN, M. F. (2025). ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSERVATION PROPOSALS FOR GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCHES OF THE OTTOMAN PERIOD: THE CASE OF BURSA (Version 2) [figshare]. https://doi.org/10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.28519748.V2
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Bursa/Cumalıkızık Evlerinde Kapı Halka, Tokmak ve Aynaları
Research on Cumalıkızık, a UNESCO-listed Ottoman village, reveals that its door rings and knockers—key architectural elements—reflect a blend of European influences and local adaptations. The study analyzed 66 rings and 40 knockers from 135 houses, categorizing them into distinct types based on shape (circular for rings, C/U/L-shaped for knockers) and decorative motifs. Notably, many knockers feature inscriptions like 'Allah' or 'Maşallah,' suggesting religious symbolism. These elements, predominantly dating to the 19th century, demonstrate a tradition that transitioned from imported European designs to locally adapted forms, preserving Ottoman craftsmanship.
Köşklü, Z., & Büber, N. (2024). Bursa/Cumalıkızık Evlerinde Kapı Halka, Tokmak ve Aynaları. Art-Sanat, 0(21), 439–466. https://doi.org/10.26650/artsanat.2024.21.1215493
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