Orhangazi History

Orhangazi as a settlement unit was founded in 1362 by Orhan Bey, the second Ottoman Sultan.

Orhan Bey built a mosque and a bathhouse in his name and settled the Turkish tribes in the vicinity here. This settlement center, which was named Pazarköy, was connected to Iznik at that time.

In 1879 Pazarköy became a district center. In 1893, it became the district center of Bursa province and in 1913 it was named Orhangazi.

During the War of Independence, the district was occupied by the Greeks and experienced the darkest and most unfortunate period of history. The occupation between 1920-1922 lasted for 2 years. On September 10, 1922, the occupying Greek forces left the district. Since they burned and destroyed everything, the District Governorship continued to work in Gürle village for a while.

Climate and Vegetation

A transition climate between the Black Sea and Mediterranean climates prevails in our district. Natural vegetation consists of moist forest, dry forest areas and maquis (evergreen shrubs and shrubs) and pseudomaki (maquis-like shrubs) areas. The climate characteristics of the Marmara region are exactly the same in our district. Summers are hot and dry (but not as hot and dry as in the Mediterranean Region), while spring, fall and winter months are warm and rainy. In places where the average annual precipitation is above 500 mm, natural forests can grow spontaneously (without human intervention). In our district, the average annual precipitation is 701 mm.

Tourism

For many years, tourism potential has not been on the agenda in Orhangazi. It is obvious that if this potential is used rationally, it can become sufficient. Water Sports, Tracking and mountain sports in Katırlı and Samanlı Mountains are promising in the district, which has 51% of Lake Iznik. In addition, Gürle Mountain, which has been discovered recently, is very favorable for paragliding. The natural thermal spring in Keramet Village and Ilıpınar excavations dating back to 5400 BC constitute the infrastructure for Orhangazi tourism. The area where the district is located has been the scene of intense settlements since ancient times. It has a large historical treasure, the most important of which was revealed in Ilıpınar excavations. The world's oldest objects and graves were obtained as a result of these excavations. Ilıpınar Mound was first discovered in 1948 by Turkish researcher K. Köktem and announced to the scientific world. As a result of the excavations in Ilıpınar Mound, which is stated to be the oldest settlement in the Bursa region, many historical artifacts dating back to 5400 BC, including the world's oldest objects and tombs, were found. Starting in 1987, many historical artifacts were found in the excavations of the second period, and information about the first settlement order and the tools and items used were presented to us. Ilıpınar excavations in the Eastern Marmara Region are still being carried out by Jacob Roodenberg and Songül Alpaslan.

Karsak Deresi historical bridge,

Old church ruins in Gürle Köyü,

Akharım Köyü and Sölöz Beldesi where there are many historical Ottoman houses,

Gedelek Köyü Pınarbaşı recreation area,

Nadır promenade area is among the places to visit.

Population

According to the 2000 census, the total population of the district is 69.057 people. The center is 44.426, villages and towns total 24631. As of the end of 2007, according to the Address Based Population Registration System Database, the total population of the district is 73.633 people. The population of the district center is 53,189 and the population of villages and towns is 20,444. There is a continuous population increase in the district center due to migration from outside. In the villages, on the other hand, population growth is almost negligible due to well-implemented family planning. The reason for the population increase in the district center is the factories that started to operate after 1976. These factories have made the district a center of attraction. There is a continuous internal migration movement from almost everywhere in our country, especially from Artvin, Bayburt, Kars, Erzurum, Trabzon, Ordu and Artvin provinces. There are our compatriots coming from abroad, especially from Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece. The spoken and written language in the district center and villages is Turkish. No one speaks any other language.