Historical Koza Han: Bursa Silk Road Heritage, Köşk Masjid and Shopping Guide

History of Koza Han and its Place in the Silk Road

Ottoman sultan II. Koza Han, built by Bayezid in 1491 by Abdulula bin Pulad Shah, one of the chief architects of the period, was dedicated to provide income for the sultan's mosque and soup kitchen complex in Istanbul. This monumental building, known as Yeni Han, Beylik Han, İpekçiler Han and Koza Han during the Ottoman period, was the last major trade gateway to Europe of the historical Silk Road, which started from East Asia and extended through Anatolia to Venice and Florence.

The best quality silk cocoons grown in Bursa and surrounding villages for centuries were auctioned in the large courtyard of this inn; British, French and Italian merchants stayed in the upper floor rooms of Koza Han for months to obtain the rarest fabrics. Even today, the inn remains the epicenter of the world's most exclusive silk scarves, shawls and fabric manufacturers.

Architectural Masterpiece: Cut Stone Workmanship and Pavilion Masjid

Koza Han is the most perfect example of typical Ottoman urban caravanserai architecture with two-storey porticoes. The building has imposing exterior walls made of cut stone and three rows of brick.

• Lower Floor Rooms (50 Rooms): These are cool vaulted spaces where merchants in history stored their silk bales, cocoons and sheltered their horses. Today, there are cafes and boutique businesses.
• Upper Floor Rooms (45 Rooms): These are merchant rooms with windows opening to the outside and surrounded by barrel-vaulted porticoes. Today, it hosts traditional shops selling genuine Bursa silk.
• Octagonal Pavilion Masjid: Located in the very center of the courtyard, the pavilion masjid is one of the most original details in the history of world architecture. It is placed on eight marble legs, its lower part is a spacious fountain with a fountain, and its upper part is a domed place of worship accessible by stairs.
• Monumental Crown Gate: The north-facing main entrance gate is the pinnacle of Ottoman stonemasonry with its geometric relief stonework, turquoise tile borders and arched muqarnas.

Where and How to Get to Koza Han?

Koza Han is located in Osmangazi district, between the Ulu Mosque and Bursa Municipality Building and in the heart of the Historical Bazaar.

• By walking: When you exit the northern gate of the Ulu Mosque, you will reach the southern gate of Koza Han just 50 meters away.
• By tram: You can take the T1 Heykel Silkworm tram line and get off at the Ulu Cami stop.
• By metro: You can take Bursaray lines 1 and 2 and get off at Şehreküstü station and walk for 6-7 minutes towards the Grand Bazaar.

What to Do in Koza Han? Editor's Recommendations

• Turkish Coffee Under Mulberry and Plane Trees: Breathe in the trade atmosphere of centuries by sitting in the historical courtyard of the inn and sipping foamy Turkish coffee cooked on embers in a cup.
• Shopping for Genuine Bursa Silk: Visit the shops on the upper floor and examine the pure silk shawls, hand-dyed scarves and ties woven on traditional looms. When purchasing, request a weaving certificate showing that the fabric is pure silk.
• Inner Passages: By passing through the eastern gate of Koza Han, you can directly pass to the Orhan Mosque complex, and by passing through the northern gate, you can easily pass to Uzun Çarşı and Aynalı Çarşı.