A few years ago, a little town in Turkey with approximately 14,000 inhabitants became the
spotlight among tourists.
This is the place that once saw the birth of the Ottoman Empire
in the 13th century but for a long time it wasn't even figuring as one of the main touristic cities
in the country but thanks to a famous tv series, this picturesque little settlement
gained recognition of local and international tourists.
In this episode, let's explore together
Sogut a district of Bilecik province and where we can visit the tombs of Ertugrul Gazi.
From Odunpazari in Eskisehir city, we're taking the tram number 10 all the way to the very last station called OTOGAR
that means the bus station. if you want to see more about how to use the public transportation
in Eskisehir, we will invite you to watch our video on our YouTube channel.
So we have finally made it to the bus station in Eskisehir and from here we are going to take
a bus to Sogut, Bilecik which is a place where we are going to show you many places about
Ertugrul Gazi and here it is very easy as you could see previously we just took the tram and
in 10 minutes we were already here as soon as you arrive here
just make sure to look for the ticket stand number 44. From there you will be able to
find the route exclusively to Sogut and the buses depart every hour or hour and a half
and for a single ticket per person we only paid 20 Liras which is super affordable so
if you are planning on going to Sogut from Eskisehir, here this is the best option for you.
Right now we are in this famous place in Turkey called Sogut in the province of Bilecik. It's very
close to Eskisehir and in this place we'll be able to explore together many places related to
this historical character Ertugrul Gazi who is also known around the world thanks to
a famous serie by TRT called Dirilis Ertugrul. So let's discover these beautiful places together.
This mosque is situated in the heart of Sogut and this one is one of the
oldest buildings that we will find in this place
this one was built between 1414 and 1420 under the orders of Sultan Mehmed I.
This place is a must see when you are coming to Sogut because this is known as the first masjid
ever established during the Ottoman period and a masjid is a smaller place than a mosque to worship.
It was built in the 13th century by Ertugrul Gazi, it's believed that it was around the year 1281.
It has undergone many restorations throughout the time but its current appearance took place during
the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II, and this one is called Kuyulu because inside there is a pit
which you will be able to see inside the place. It attracts thousands of visitors every year.
This is the main symbol that you will be able to see in many places
especially the most important ones here in Sogut. This one represents the kayi tribe
that's the tribe where Ertugrul Gazi was part of and he was one of the main leaders and as
you can see here this represents two arrows and an arch also you will be able to find many souvenirs
with this symbol and representation so you can choose as many as you want.
The majority of the works exhibited in the museum include clothing items
reflecting the culture of Sogut and Bilecik, woven products consists of carpets, rugs,
and saddles, weapons, weighing instruments, and various items used in daily life.
Nowadays and thanks to the famous tv series Dirilis Ertugrul, this place is receiving
almost 4 thousand visitors every month when a few years ago just a few hundred were coming here.
This beautiful mosque was built during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid between 1903 and 1905.
The mosque which has a square plan, single dome, and a double minaret is striking with its neo-
classical style with its walls made of red cut stone since it has two minarets it is also known
as a double minaret mosque among the people. The mosque is covered with a single lead coated dome.
Ertugrul Gazi was the father of the founder of the Ottoman Empire Osman Gazi.
It's believed that Ertugrul Gazi was the son of Suleyman Sha who was a leader
of the tribe called Kayi who were immigrating from central Asia to Anatolia.
After many invasions from the Mongols it's believed that Suleyman Sha guided his tribe
to a safer place in Anatolia.
Just outside the tomb of Ertugrul Gazi that means in the gardens
we can also find the tomb of Halime Hatun who is believed to have been the wife of Ertugrul Gazi,
as well here we can find many tombs of Ertugrul Gazi's alps.
There is not much information about Ertugrul Gazi's life but the most accepted version says that Ertugrul
provided some support to the Seljuks against the Mongols who were approaching from East
and Byzantines in the West.
For all his service given to the Seljuks, he was rewarded with land
which nowadays is Sogut, the birthplace of the Ottoman Empire. Ertugrul Gazi died in 1281 at the
age of 90 and was buried near Sogut, after his death his tomb became a spiritual destination.
On a hilltop near Sogut, is the shrine of Dursun Fakih who was a mystic poet and a
scholar of Islamic jurisprudence. With Osman Gazi he witnessed the foundation of the Ottoman Empire.
After the conquest of Karacahisar near Eskisehir province he is believed to have delivered
the Friday sermon in which he announced Osman Gazi as the head of a new and independent Ottoman State.
Apart from the important history that this place holds also you need to come here so
you can see on your own the beautiful views that we can have from this point
here we can have 360 degrees of all the surroundings of Sogut you will definitely love it.
So this was our half day trip to Sogut, Bilecik from Eskisehir. As you can see
it is very close to Eskisehir here by bus it's only one hour and it is really worth coming here
this city has a lot of history to offer but unfortunately is not very recognized
by the tourism local and international it just started a couple of years ago
because of this famous series that you already know but it's just not about the
this series this place really offers you a lot of history and this is the place where
the Ottoman Empire once was founded it so I highly recommend you that if you are a history lover and
you want to know more about Turkey and the Ottoman Empire as well, this is the place to start with so
hopefully you have liked this video and don't forget to give us a thumbs up if you enjoy it.