Bursa's Ottoman-era khans draw tourists to Turkey

By Sinan Balcikoca and Faruk Zorlu

BURSA, Turkey (AA) - The area in northwestern Turkey known as Khans is attracting Turkish and international visitors alike for its breathtaking historical beauty.

Khans, in the city of Bursa -- south of Istanbul, across the Sea of Marmara -- has been known as "the heart of commerce" for seven centuries.

The Khans district, spanning some 450 acres, embodies the key functions of economic organization of Bursa -- which served as the Ottoman capital during the 14th century -- including 16 khans, a type of covered Turkish Ottoman bazaar, which gave the place its name.

Bursa and Cumalikizik have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2014.

This property has eight component sites, including commercial districts of khans, kulliyes (religious institutions) including mosques, religious schools, public baths and a kitchen for the poor, as well as the tomb of Orhan Ghazi, founder of the Ottoman dynasty, according to UNESCO’s website.

One component outside the historic center of Bursa is the village of Cumalikizik, which illustrates the lifestyle in the burgeoning Ottoman Empire.

More and more tourists are visiting Khans, especially after Bursa and Cumalikizik were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, Muhsin Ozyildirim, head of the Bursa Historical Bazaar and Khans Union, told Anadolu Agency.

Last year, about three million tourists visited Bursa, but 10 million is the goal, he added.