Söğüt Belediyesi

Ertuğrul Gazi was buried in Söğüt when he died in the year (H. 680, 1281-1282 AD) at the age of ninety-three. Ertuğrul Gazi’s grave was first arranged as an open grave by Osman Bey between the years 1281-1285. There is no clear information about whether it was built as a tomb. Because if it had been a tomb, Osman Bey would have been buried in the tomb when he died. It is seen that Osman Bey was first buried in the garden 5-6 meters outside the current location of the tomb. According to his will, his grave was later removed and taken to the Gümüşlü Dome in Bursa.
A document from the period of Orhan Gazi determined that he was allocated a salary and duty as the ‘’Servant of the Türbe-i Ertuğrul’’ in Söğüt. It is understood from this that the first stones of the tomb were placed during the Orhan Gazi period.
Considering that a mosque was built here during the period of Çelebi Mehmet Bey, it is also estimated that Çelebi Mehmet had his ancestor's grave built as a tomb or repaired it.
The first data corresponds to the year 1171 according to the Islamic calendar (1757 according to the Gregorian calendar). The phrase "Maşa'allah 1171" was found on a stone in the arch connection of the main tomb door. When the condition of this stone was examined, it was determined that this stone was placed between the new stones during the repair. The year 1757 corresponds to the periods of Osman III and Mustafa III. It is understood from this stone that a major repair was made in 1757, as if it were being rebuilt.
Charles Texıer (Şarl Teksiye), who saw the tomb during the period of Sultan Mahmud II in 1832, described the place in his book as follows: "This tomb is located in the vicinity of a city at the mouth of a valley surrounded by mulberry groves. The tomb of the Sultan is a building in the style of a small church and called a mausoleum like those built in Bursa… Ertuğrul’s tomb rising among cypress and plane trees is one of the works to be seen in the East (culture).’’
Charles Texıer (Şarl Teksiye) reports that the dome of the tomb is not pointed as in the Seljuk style, but round in shape, reminiscent of a tent.
This tomb, built in 1171 AH, was largely repaired during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid II, when it was seen to be worn out; in addition, one or two fountains and a fountain or a fountain were built.
Due to the wear and tear and collapse of this building over time, Abdülhamit II drew a map of the place in 1886 and had the building rebuilt from scratch. The interior was decorated with the rich tiles of the period, and the coffin was also rebuilt from marble. Its exterior was surrounded by a courtyard wall, and its door opened facing Söğüt. There is also an inscription placed above the entrance section of the tomb. The inscription consists of 24 verses in 12 lines in beautiful Naskh.

The tomb in its current form was built on a hexagonal plan with a dome on top and an entrance on the east side. Its walls were built with one row of stone and three rows of bricks. The dome was illuminated with three windows in the lower row covered with lead.

In the early 1900s, the tomb of Ertuğrul Gazi Hazretleri was perfectly repaired again with funds from the state treasury and under the supervision of the Old Söğüt District Governor Zühtü Bey.

The interior of the tomb was decorated with various embroideries, tiles and chandeliers, candlesticks and large clocks befitting the greatness of the sultan. The shawl (cover) sent by the sultan to bring goodness was placed on the blessed one's coffin. The ruined and scattered graves of Hazreti Gazi, his son Sarı Yatı (Savcu Bey) who was buried in the garden outside the Türbe-i Şerif with his harem (wife) and 25 other nobles and tribesmen who served Hazreti Gazi with their bravery were repaired and stones were made with their names and erected. Iron bars were placed around these graves.
Ertuğrul Gazi Mausoleum went through its most difficult days during the occupation periods. It is said that Söğüt and the Mausoleum were damaged during Timur's Anatolian campaign. However, the greatest damage was during the Greek occupation of Anatolia.
The Greeks burned Söğüt while retreating after the Second Battle of İnönü and caused damage to the Ertuğrul Gazi Mausoleum that is still evident today. Since it was said that the gold of the Turks was hidden in the mausoleum, the coffin of the mausoleum was opened and plundered under the pretext of searching for gold. When they could not find gold, they insulted them by saying, “Get up, old Turk, see the state of your children, come and save them.” Not only that, the bullets they fired into the iron-covered windows and walls can still be seen today.

During this period, the tiles were removed, the valuable manuscript of the Quran and the valuable chandeliers, candlesticks and rugs were taken away by the Greeks.
The Turkish troops that started to chase the Greeks from the Gündüzbey line arrived and showed their strength to the plundering Greeks who asked where their children were.

Söğüt is a town on the main road since its establishment. The historical road extending from Mudanya-Bursa and Gemlik Pier to Konya passed through Söğüt. Especially after the conquest of Istanbul by the Turks, Mecca was reached by stopping at Söğüt. For this reason, this road was called the Hacılar Road. This road is located in the Küsnük and Mezarlık regions. Söğüt's bright period in history began in the late 13th century. During this period, the Kayı Tribe of the Oghuz Turks coming from the east would form the first nuclei of the Ottoman World State, whose borders spread to the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, in this small town.

Osman Gazi's Dream:
According to his dream, a light coming out of Sheikh Edebali's bosom entered Osman Bey's bosom. A tree emerged from his body with the entry of this light. The tree suddenly branched out and covered many plains, mountains and rivers under its shadow. Many people benefit from these places. When Sheikh Edebali heard this dream, he interpreted it as, "Osman, son of Ertuğrul, you will be the bey after your father, you will marry my daughter Malhatun. This is the light that came from me to you, many sultans will come from your noble and pure lineage. They will bring the nations together under one roof and, with Allah's permission, ensure that they live in peace and happiness and are honored with Islam." Finally, when Ertuğrul Gazi passed away in 1281, Osman Bey was elected as the bey by the elders of the tribe. Like his father, he remained loyal to the Seljuk Sultan. He expanded his lands by organizing expeditions to Sorkun, Taraklı, Göynük. He captured Yarhisar and Bilecik and conquered İnegöl in 1299. During this time, he took the side of the sultan in the rebellion movement started by the Ilkhanids against Alaeddin Keykubat III. For these benefits and also in return for the places he conquered, Osman Bey was given a flag and a flag. These gifts given to Osman Bey and the playing of the drum in the Küsnük (Kösnük) location during the acceptance of these gifts are considered by historians to be a big step towards establishing a new state.

According to the narration in the history of Aşık Paşa, when Karacahisar was taken, Muslim people from Germiyan province and other provinces were settled in the empty houses. A market was set up. The people gathered and asked for a judge who would lead the Friday prayer and find solutions to the disagreements between them. Thereupon, Osman Bey appointed his brother-in-law Dursun Fakıh as imam preacher and judge with the consent of the people. Dursun Fakıh read the first sermon, which meant becoming an independent state, on behalf of Osman Bey during the Friday prayer in Karacahisar on September 28, 1299. Thus, it is accepted that the establishment of the Ottoman World State was declared.
Söğüt was the center of the Kayı Tribe (as the Border Principality) until the conquest of Bursa. Söğüt became the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, albeit briefly. With the conquest of Bursa, the capital became Bursa, and Söğüt became a district center affiliated to the Sultanönü Sanjak. Evliya Çelebi mentions Söğüt in his Travelogue: "Söğüt is a town with a judge, gardens, a pure atmosphere, and a pleasant place in the province of Lefke, under the jurisdiction of the Bursa Sanjak. It is a place with 700 Turkish houses covered with tiles, numerous mosques, inns and baths, and a bazaar." This modest town has also been the scene of various invasions. Evliya Çelebi states the following on this subject; "When Osmancik became Bey, he buried his father Ertuğrul in the city of Söğüt and made the city prosperous. In the era of Badehu Yıldırım, Timurlenk plundered and destroyed this city, and even the Ertuğrul Tomb is not so magnificent." he reported.
During the reign of Çelebi Sultan Mehmet and the reign of Sultan II. Abdulhamid, new construction works were carried out in Söğüt.
II. Abdulhamid selected the palace guards from the youth of Söğüt and its surroundings, and gave an official title to the Karakeçili Tribe's visits to Söğüt.
In 1905, he had a mosque and a school built in Söğüt, which were also named after him. After the Armistice of Mudros (October 30, 1918), Söğüt, like many places in Anatolia, was occupied. When it was liberated, not much remained of the old Söğüt.

We can never express our feelings of gratitude enough to our ancestors who left a pleasant sound in many areas, especially civilization and justice, in the dome of the sky, but we feel it is our duty to both recognize and introduce the works they left us. The Hamidiye Complex, built by our ancestors in the Söğüt district of Bilecik province, belongs to the period of Abdulhamid II, who built many beautiful and valuable works on this heavenly homeland.

Hamidiye Mosque (Double Minaret)
Hamidiye Mosque was built by Abdulhamid II in 1907-1908 (H.1325). The structure has a square plan, its walls are made of red cut stone. It is also covered with a large single dome carried by arches. Its dome is covered with lead. The last congregation place, contrary to the norm, does not have a portico, but was built in the Neo-Classical style. The minarets are located at the corners between the narthex and the main mass of the mosque. Its architecture is remarkable because its double minaret is made of cut stone. It is also known as the Çifte Minarets Mosque.
Hamidiye İdadisi (High School)
The idadis, which are among the educational institutions of the period of Abdulhamid II, were built so that Rüştiye graduates could easily find jobs. Idadis were preferred in regions where the Turkish population was dense and the level of development was low. In the Education Regulation prepared by Esat Saffet Pasha in 1869, it was decided to build schools at the idadi level, which was a higher level than the rüştiyes. In these idadis to be opened, it was also aimed to train students for higher education schools and civil servants for the upper echelons of the state. It was built in Söğüt by Sultan Abdulhamid II between 1903-1905. It is one of the examples of civil Ottoman architecture from the late Ottoman period. There is a magnificent Ottoman State coat of arms made of marble above the entrance of the İdadi. According to legend, the coat of arms was brought from Istanbul to Bilecik by train and carried from Bilecik train station to Söğüt with a load of nine buffalos. The Idadi is two-story and made of red cut stone, with elegant window and door columns. It was built to train soldiers for the palace guards. The plans of the lower and upper floors are the same. The room ceilings are decorated with geometric shapes made of wood.

Dar’ül Eytam (Orphans School)
It was built as an addition to the Hamidiye Idadi by the District Governor Sait Bey during the reign of Sultan V. Mehmed Reşad in the first quarter of the 20th century. It was built for the education of children who were orphaned and left homeless in the war. This building, which was used by martyr children, is also called Şüheda Mektebi or Martyrs' School. Dar’ül Eytam is a two-story building with a hipped roof. The entrance section has two columns. There are tile coverings where the columns end. Of the 22 tiles on the entrance door, 11 fell and broke, and the remaining 11 pieces were taken under protection in the Söğüt Ethnography Museum.

Every corner of our Anatolia has a very lively and rich culture and history. Söğüt, a place where this rich culture and civilization is experienced, is a rare district where the Ottoman Empire was founded and where civilization and justice were provided to the world for over 600 years.

Yes, we are talking about a nation that thinks the best in every aspect and is remembered for centuries in world history with its contributions to Islamic Civilization and social life.
It is always said that; The Ottoman Empire served Islam for 6 centuries and left a future full of civilization for social life. Here is the Kaymakam Fountain, one of the most beautiful examples of this idea. This beautiful work that will show our ancestors' respect for the Qibla is the Kaymakam Fountain located in the center of the Söğüt district.
In this work where our ancestors show their respect for the Qibla, the fountain we mentioned is surrounded by troughs on three sides, while no trough was placed on the south side. The reason for not placing one is very meaningful. The south direction coincides with the qibla. In other words, there is no trough on the south side of the fountain so that the person who is going to drink water or perform ablution does not turn his back to the qibla. It may be a very small example, but we can say that it is a wonderful example in terms of showing the sensitivity and kindness that our ancestors showed even in the construction of a work. This behavior, which is an indication of how much our Islamic faith and spirituality are valued, certainly makes us proud and happy. The Kaymakam Fountain was built in 1914 by Sait Bey, who was the District Governor in Söğüt during the reign of Sultan Reşad. The fountain, which has an aesthetic appearance, was built in the Neo-Classical style, surrounded by troughs on three sides, and has reliefs in the form of segmented vases on its outer surface. Star motifs are placed in relief on both sides of the troughs. The corners of the body are chamfered and the front faces are in the form of pointed arched niches. The four sides of the fountain are decorated with Kütahya tiles. There are friezes on the eaves and they end with a pediment decorated with curved branches, rumis and palmettes. There are inscriptions in rectangular niches on the upper part. The phrases “Minel mai küllüşeyhinhay” can be read on the eastern side of the rectangular inscriptions and “Rebbihüm ve sekahüm şeraban Tahura” on the northern side, and “Amel-I Mehmet Emin mintilazim Mehmet Hilmi Kütahya 1334” can be seen on a tile on the western side. The Kaymakam Fountain is made entirely of marble. It is considered an important example of the last period of Ottoman architectural art.

-It is one of the first examples of Ottoman architectural art in the domed type.
-The structure is a work of Ottoman architecture in the Bursa Ulu Mosque plan type.
-It is located in the center of Söğüt Bazaar, opposite the Government Office and was built between 1414-1420 during the reign of Çelebi Sultan Mehmed.

The sentences given above in a few lines are about the Çelebi Sultan Mehmed Mosque, which is located in Söğüt, one of the beautiful districts of our province, and which gives us great happiness by having survived to the present day.

The Çelebi Sultan Mehmed Mosque, which underwent a major restoration during the reign of Sultan II. Abdülhamid Han and whose current appearance mostly belongs to that period, was built by its architect Üsep Kalfa in the place of the old mosque during the reign of II. Abdülhamid and its minaret base was used in the construction of its architecture. The minaret base, which is the only original architectural element remaining from the old mosque, is located in the middle of the western facade, and it is understood that the structure was built in larger dimensions than the first measurements and especially extended towards the north. Today, there is no clue that can give an idea about the plan of the old mosque.

The structure, which is one of the first examples of the domed type of Ottoman architectural art, has a rectangular plan close to a square, and the mosque is covered with twelve small domes mounted on arches resting on six columns with stirrup feet on the walls. The main dome is carried by four columns. The middle area of the domes, which are connected by pendentives from the arches, is higher and larger than the others, and a light lantern, seen in early Ottoman mosques, is placed on it for interior lighting. The structure is a work in the Ulu Mosque plan type in Ottoman architecture.

The interior is quite spacious; the pendentives on the side walls, arches, dome center and skirt, mihrab and window surrounds and pediments, both in the external and internal appearance, reflect the late Ottoman period characteristics that show Western influence. The middle dome is higher than the others and the Ulu Cami plan type is applied here as is. The mihrab, which is enclosed in a porphyry border, is in the form of a simple niche and is densely decorated with hand-drawn works together with its surroundings. The wooden pulpit, whose mirror and railings are decorated with openwork and plant motifs, is crowned with rumis and palmetto branches in the baroque style, and the top of the pavilion section is crowned in the same style and covered with a pointed cone. The wooden women's gallery has a simple appearance.

The plainly plastered exterior walls of the structure, which is built of cut stone and brick, end with a flat eave molding. The mosque has three doors on the north, east and west facades. Apart from the main door on the north facade, secondary doors are also opened on the east and west facades and they are covered with wooden porches supported by two wooden columns. The main door on the north facade is not currently used. The upper ones of the double-row windows are oval, while the lower ones are thin, long and round arched. The original base of the single-balcony brick minaret, adjacent to the west facade of the mosque, is octagonal in section and has a high platform; it is built with two rows of brick and one row of cut stone, and the shoe part, which is beveled with Turkish triangles, is connected to the cylindrical body with a ring. Adjacent to the mosque on the northwest side, there is a minaret with a base and shoe part made of cut stone and a body made of brick.

The structure, which also has the feature of being the first mosque of the Ottoman Empire and known as the ''Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque'', also known as the ''Well Mosque'', is located on the slope of a small hill in the southwest of Söğüt on Köprü Caddesi Mescit Street in Cumhuriyet Neighborhood, Söğüt district.
The Well Mosque is the place where the seeds of the glorious and long-lasting state were planted, the city of establishment and salvation, the land of resurrection, the historical district of Bilecik, Söğüt, where the Kayı tribe came with 400 tents under the leadership of Ertuğrul Gazi, where the first tent was set up, where the Kayı tribe prostrated their foreheads together. The mosque in Söğüt is known as the first work and first mosque of the Ottoman Empire. The exact date of construction of the structure is not known. The date of construction is written before 1281 on the plaque at the entrance of the structure. However, it is thought to have been built in the first half of the 13th century during the reign of Ertuğrul Gazi, after Söğüt was given to Ertuğrul Gazi. The structure that has survived to the present day is not original. The structure underwent its first known restoration during the reign of Çelebi Mehmed. The mosque underwent its most extensive repair in 1902 during the reign of Sultan II. Abdülhamit, when the houses around the mosque were expropriated and demolished, and the mosque was re-excavated and rebuilt on its old foundations.

The structure, which is not important in terms of architecture and art, consists of a square-planned prayer area and a transverse rectangular-planned and closed narthex. The narthex, covered by a lead-coated wooden roof, has a low arched entrance on the north wall, large-sized and round windows on both sides, and their counterparts on the side walls. It is covered with a single lead-coated dome sitting on a low drum. The single minaret rises on a square-based plinth on the western side of the building, on the border of the harim and the narthex, and extends outward. The narthex, which was previously outside, was included inside during the reconstruction of the masjid in the 19th century, along with the well that gave its name to the building. The Ertuğrul Gazi masjid has a feature that other mosques and masjids do not have. The main part of the masjid is the first work of the Ottomans, while the entrance section between the door and the masjid is the last work of the Ottomans.

The location of the Ertuğrul Gazi masjid was chosen to be next to the well where the Greek villagers met their water needs. Ertuğrul Gazi believed that this would enable friendly dialogue to be established between the Turkmens who came to the masjid for prayer and their Greek neighbors, and that relations between Muslims and Greeks would warm up.

There is a story about why Ertuğrul Gazi had the mosque built in the Greek neighborhood of Aktopraklık during the adaptation of the Kayı tribe to settled life: The Greek people took water from the well in the garden of this mosque, and thus came to this mosque every day and established relations with the Ottoman people. In addition, the Ottomans also came to this mosque in the Greek neighborhood five times a day, developing relations with the Greek people, and over time, the Greek villagers began to use the well water, which they used only for drinking, for ablution. Despite the bloody wars and provocations experienced in those lands, those who still believe in Christianity and the trust those Christians have in the honor of their Turkish neighbors are proof that the conversion of faith was not forced but a voluntary choice. This rare work, which has survived to the present day with its physical existence, served a great social function between the Turks and the Ottomans, in addition to being a place of worship for people.

It is a known fact that religious scholars who made great contributions to the establishment of the state and the sowing of its seeds were raised in these sacred and precious lands where the Ottoman Empire was founded.

Bilecik, which was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and had a very important strategic place, is a special city where Sheikh Edebali, Dursun Fakih and Ertugrul Gazi are buried. First of all, let's take a brief look at the life of Dursun Fakih Hazretleri, who read the first sermon on behalf of Osman Gazi, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
Dursun Fakih was originally born in Karaman, known as the city of Larende in the old days. He was the son-in-law of Sheikh Edebali, whom he gave as a wife to one of his three daughters whose name is not included in the records, and he was a student of Sheikh Edebali who received education in Tafsir, Hadith and Fiqh from him. He served as a judge in Bilecik and was also the brother-in-law of Osman Gazi. He is an important Islamic jurist, religious scholar and imam. He passed away during the reign of Sultan Orhan after the death of Sheikh Edebali. His tomb is located at the tip of a conical hill in Küre village of Söğüt district.

Dursun Fakih is the imam who read the first sermon on behalf of Osman Gazi. According to Islamic traditions, the Friday sermon, which is one of the requirements for establishing a state, is a sign of sultanate. It is considered the strongest of the signs of independence. Because, when the sultan's name is read by the preacher in the sermon, it shows that he is accepted as the ruler. The following words were included in the sermon read by Dursun Fakih on behalf of Osman Gazi;

Dear Believers;
Praise be to Allah Almighty, who helps his friends, leaves his enemies helpless and no place is excluded from his knowledge.
I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah.
I take this testimony as a protection for myself and keep it as a provision for the day we will meet Allah.

I also testify that our Prophet Muhammad Mustafa is the servant and prophet of Allah. I also send my peace and blessings to his family, children, wives, companions, helpers and migrants.

Emme ba’dü
As long as the rain falls, the light shines, the prayers are accepted and the traveler returns to his place, Allah is Great.

O servants of Allah!
The path is clear for those who ask. The evidence is obvious for those who listen. Death has uprooted many before you. It dragged people who were stronger and more powerful than you to the grave. Their joy and relief ended when their lives were taken. Our joy here today is to be honored with the secret of “Haze min fazlı Rabbi” as a result of obeying the command of Allah, the one and only, and following the sunnah of His Messenger.
The Day of Judgment is such a day that no one will complain, no one will look at those who cry; that day is a day of fear and suffering. In order to be sure of your fear and to achieve your hopes, hold fast to the commands of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. Hold fast so that you may be guided, and from the humiliated you may become honorable.

Oh God, forgive this nation for the sake of Your Beloved.

Oh Lord of the Worlds!
Bless the Khanate and Sultanate of Osman Gazi Khan

SÖĞÜT

ERTUĞRULGAZİ TOMB

Ertuğrulgazi Mosque and Darülkurra

Hamidiye Complex

SÖĞÜT CLOCK TOWER

SÖĞÜT ERTUĞRUL GAZİ MUSEUM

Our Ancestors' Respect for the Qibla

Çelebi Sultan Mehmed Mosque

Well Mosque

The First Sermon in the Ottoman Empire

YUKARIDERE RECREATION AREA

Turkish Elders Platform

HANLI PAZAR