Koza Han is a caravanserai from 1491 on Uzun Çarşı in Bursa's old market district, between the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) and the Orhan Gazi Mosque. Sultan Bayezid II had it built, and silk cocoons were traded here for centuries. Today the two-storey stone building holds silk and textile shops upstairs and small cafes below. A small mosque stands in the middle of the courtyard, and tea tables sit under old plane trees. It is a short stop, but a pleasant one for a scarf, a glass of tea and a look at classical Ottoman architecture.
Why Koza Han was built
Sultan Bayezid II commissioned Koza Han, and it was finished in 1491. It was meant to bring in income for his mosque and madrasah in Istanbul. A han, or caravanserai, was a trading place and inn for merchants and their animals. Koza Han gave them lodging, storage and office space, and artisans worked here as well.
The name comes from the Turkish word for a silkworm cocoon. Silkworms were brought to Bursa centuries ago, and the silk industry became the base of the city's wealth. Koza Han was where cocoons were bought and sold, and in summer most of the silk merchants gathered here to bargain. Of the many hans in Bursa, this is the best known.
The building and its courtyard
The han has two floors of stone construction around a large courtyard, in the classical Ottoman style. In the center of the courtyard stands a small mosque (mescid) above a fountain. Plane trees in the courtyard are old enough to be legally protected, and their shade covers many of the tea tables.
The merchants once slept in the upper rooms. Those rooms now hold shops. The ground floor, around the courtyard, has small cafes and a few small traders. The building has been restored, and it is still used the way it always was: as a place to trade and to rest.
What to buy and where to sit
Silk is the main reason to climb the stairs. The upper-floor shops sell scarves and shawls in many colors and patterns, and also blouses, tablecloths, pillowcases and home textiles. You can look without buying, and the courtyard is pleasant even if you are only passing through.
Downstairs and in the courtyard, tea is the usual order. Coffee drinkers can ask for Turkish coffee prepared slowly over coal, and there is ice cream if the day is warm. For a meal, the Inner Koza Han (İç Koza Han) next door has an İskender kebab restaurant, and the semolina halva from Hacı Şerif is a local name to look for.
Where it is and what is nearby
Koza Han stands on Uzun Çarşı, the main street of the old market area, between the Grand Mosque and the Orhan Gazi Mosque. You can walk to it from either. Timirtaşpaşa is the nearest stop.
The han is one of several in the district. Others include Emir Han, İpek Han, Pirinç Han, Fidan Han and Geyve Han, all around the Covered Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), Uzun Çarşı and the nearby market streets. A walk through them can be combined with the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, the Tophane Clock Tower and the bridge market.
Häufige Fragen
What is Koza Han?
Koza Han is a caravanserai built in 1491 by order of Sultan Bayezid II in Bursa. It was a center of the silk cocoon trade and is still where Bursa's silk is sold, in shops around a central courtyard.
Where is Koza Han?
It is on Uzun Çarşı in the Osmangazi district, between the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) and the Orhan Gazi Mosque. Timirtaşpaşa is the nearest stop.
What can you buy at Koza Han?
Silk scarves, shawls and other textiles are sold on the upper floor. You will also find souvenirs and local crafts.
How long do you need at Koza Han?
The building is small, and a walk around it takes only a few minutes. Allow 20 to 60 minutes if you want to browse the silk shops and have tea in the courtyard.
Where can you eat or drink at Koza Han?
The courtyard and lower floor have small cafes serving tea and Turkish coffee. The Inner Koza Han next door has an İskender kebab restaurant.
Is Koza Han wheelchair accessible?
The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and there is an accessible restroom.
