Bilecik is the provincial capital of Turkey's Bilecik Province.
Along with its districts, it is the birthplace of the Osmanlı dynasty, whose members founded the Ottoman Empire.
The town is famous for its numerous restored Turkish houses. It is increasingly becoming more attractive more tourists. With its rich architectural heritage, Bilecik is a member of the Norwich-based European Association of Historic Towns and Regions (EAHTR).
Bilecik, lying in the green fertile lands of the river valley, is the eastern neighbor of Bursa in Marmara region. Its historical background goes back to 1950 BC, with many Anatolian civilizations in this Bithynian region such as Hittites, Phrygians, Lycians, Persians and Macedonians living here. Its earliest names are known as Agrilion and Agrillum. During the Byzantine Empire the city was called Belokeme.
The province has an area of 4.307 square kilometers with approximately 200,000 people. Bilecik is worth visiting with its mausoleum of Seyh (Sheik) Edebali, who was an important influential person in the foundation of the Ottoman Empire. Nearby is the mausoleum of Orhan Gazi. Every September a festival is held in his memory. Bilecik played also an important role during the War of Independence led by Atatürk.
30 kilometers from Bilecik is the little town Sogut which got its name from the numerous willows that surround the town. Sogut Is the place where the Ottoman Empire was founded and here are the life size busts of famous figures of Turkish history. If you would like to see the whole of the history of Turkey before your eyes, then you should visit the Ethnographical Museum. There are many historical tombs and mosques in the province. Onyx handicrafts are recommended as a souvenir from Bilecik of which are great value.
Some of the sites of interest in the province are: Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi mosques, Seyh Edebali and Mal Hatun mausoleums, Köprülü Mehmet Pasha mosque, Köprülü Caravanserai, Kaplikaya tombs, Rüstem Pasha mosque, and Gülalan Pavilion. |
