Bursa Fortress

It is presumed that Bursa’s town walls were built by the Bithynians in 185 B.C. It is known that its construction began during the reign of Prusias I (228-185 B.C.), and that its initial plan was drawn by Hannibal I, the famous Carthaginian commander.

The town founded by King Prusias I of Bithynia and called “Prusias ad Olympum”, which means “the town of Prusias founded at the skirt of Olympos (Uludag) Mountain”, was built on a hill and surrounded by town walls.

Bursa Fortress was damaged during several sieges. During the Roman (74 B.C. to A.D. 395), the Byzantine (395-1326), and the Ottoman Empire (1326-1923), respectively, it was renovated, and various towers were added to it.

There are six gates in the Bursa town walls. These are the “Saltanat” (the “Sultanate”) (or “Hisar”, the “Castle”, “Debbaghane”, the “Tannery”, or “Darphane”, the “Mint”) Gate, the “Kaplica” (“Thermal Bath”) Gate, the “Zindan” (“Dungeon”) Gate, the “Fetih” (“Conquest”) (or “Pınarbaşı”, “Pinarbashi Spring”, or “Su”, “Water”) Gate, and the “Tahtakale” (or “Yoghurt”) Gate, as well as the “Yer” Gate.

The restoration works of Bursa’s town walls were initiated in 2005 by Osmangazi Municipality, and continued in 2009 by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality.