Some cities tell their story through their markets and kitchens as much as through their mosques and palaces, and Bursa is one of them — it was the terminus of the great Silk Road, and the birthplace of one of the world's most famous kebab dishes.

Koza Han: the end of the Silk Road

In 1491, by order of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II, Koza Han (the Cocoon Inn) was built as a hub for the city's thriving silk trade. The name itself, "Cocoon Inn," refers directly to the silkworm cocoons traded there. Bursa sat at a strategic point on the ancient Silk Road, the trade network stretching from China to Europe, making it the final stop where raw silk was sold before being turned into textiles exported to palaces and nobility across Europe and the Islamic world.

The han, designed as a two-story building around a quiet inner courtyard with more than 95 rooms used as warehouses and trading offices, was a genuine international hub — the trading agent of Florence's Medici family even had an office there in the early 16th century, evidence of the global standing Bursa held as a silk trading capital. Today the han remains an active market, though its focus has shifted more toward finished silk goods, textiles, and souvenirs for visitors, while the original architectural atmosphere remains largely intact.

The birth of İskender kebab: the story of a thirteen-year-old boy

In 1867, in the Kayhan Bazaar near Koza Han, a boy named İskender Efendi — with help from his uncle Sabit Dede — devised an entirely new way of preparing meat: instead of the usual horizontal grilling, he skewered boneless, sinew-free strips of lamb vertically and rotated them around their axis as they cooked, ensuring even cooking. He served the meat over pita bread with tomato sauce and melted sheep's butter, with yogurt on the side. This method, simple in concept and revolutionary in result, later became the basis for the döner kebab known worldwide, with its direct invention credited specifically to Bursa.

Descendants of the İskenderoğlu family still run the original restaurant in Bursa today, holding the trademark rights to the "İskender kebab" name, and the original spot in Kayhan Bazaar is currently being prepared to become a museum telling this story.

Other flavors worth trying

  • Candied chestnuts (kestane şekeri): a traditional sweet from a city famous for the chestnut trees surrounding it.
  • Local tea and tahini halva: sold in small shops within the old markets, often following family recipes passed down through generations.
  • Modern silk products: silk scarves and shawls sold at Koza Han and around it, some still woven using traditional methods.

Why this side of Bursa deserves a dedicated visit

Many visitors pass through Bursa quickly on their way to Uludağ or the hot springs, but the silk-and-kebab story specifically reveals another side of the city: Bursa as a commercial and economic hub that shaped part of the Ottoman state's identity from its earliest days, not just as a political or religious capital.