TURKEY / Bursa

Bursa, Türkiye'nin büyük metropol kentlerinden ve en çok nüfusa sahip 4. şehridir.Ekonomik açıdan Türkiye'nin gelişmiş kentlerinden biri olan Bursa doğal ve tarihsel zenginlikleriyle de önem taşır. Bursa'da en çok Osmanlı Devleti'nin kuruluş dönemine ait tarihî eserlerin bulunmasının sebebi ise, Bursa'nın Osmanlı Devleti'nin ilk başkenti olmasıdır. Bursa alışveriş merkezleri, parkları, müzeleri ve çarşısıyla bölgede öne çıkar. Ayrıca Bursa Marmara bölgesinin İstanbul'dan sonra gelen ikinci büyük şehridir ve Türkiye'nin en önemli sanayi kentlerindendir. 2005 yılında Bursa Büyükşehir Belediyesi Türkiye'nin ilk ve tek kalite belgeli büyükşehir belediyesi olmuştur. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------­--------------------------- Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and the seat of Bursa Province. With a population of 2,550,645 (2009), it is Turkey's fourth largest city, as well as one of the most industrialized and culturally charged metropolitan centers in the country. Bursa is settled on the northwestern slopes of Mount Uludağ in the southern Marmara Region. It is the capital city of Bursa Province bordered by the Sea of Marmara and Yalova to the north; Kocaeli and Sakarya to the northeast; Bilecik to the east; and Kütahya and Balıkesir to the south. The city is frequently cited as "Yeşil Bursa" (meaning "Green Bursa") in a reference to the parks and gardens located across its urban tissue, as well as to the vast forests in rich variety that extend in its surrounding region. The city is synonymous with Mount Uludağ which towers behind its core and which is also a famous ski resort. The mausoleums of early Ottoman sultans are located in Bursa and the numerous edifices built throughout the Ottoman period constitute the city's main landmarks. The surrounding fertile plain, its thermal baths, several interesting museums, notably a rich museum of archaeology, and a rather orderly urban growth are further principal elements that complete Bursa's overall picture.