Uludağ National Park is a nature preserve covering an area around Uludag Mountain (also known as Mysian Olympus or Bithynian Olympus) that reaches an elevation of 2543 meters of 8,343 feet above sea level.
Location: 22 km (14 mi) South of Bursa Map
Tel. (0224) 283 21 97
Open: daily
Uludağ , within the borders of Bursa province, is the largest winter and nature sports center in Turkey with an altitude of 2,543 m . Uludag; It is the highest mountain in the Marmara Region . Uludağ, which extends in the northwest-southeast direction, is 40 km long. Its width is 15–24 km. The slopes of this mountain, which has a massive and majestic appearance, facing Bursa are gradual, while the sides facing Orhaneli to the south are flat and steeper. The highest point is Uludağ Tepe (2,543 m), located in the lakes region . When approaching Bursa from afar and in the hotel area, the high hill seen is generally perceived as the summit. However, the name of the hill that looks like the Summit is Keşiş Hill and its height is 2,486 m. Uludağ hill (2,543 m) is located 5 km southeast of Keşiş Hill. On the north side of the mountain there are Sarıalan, Kirazlı, Kadı and Sobra plateaus.
In his book Herodotus History, written by Herodotus (490-420 BC),
one of the first historians of the ancient age , Uludağ is referred to
as "Olympos" and he describes the tragedy of Atys, the son of Croesus,
king of Lydia , in Olympos. 400 years after Herodotus, the Amasya-born
geographer Strabon (64 BC-AD 21) wrote Uludağ, Olympos and Mysia as
Olympos in his book Geography, which consists of 17 books. Strabo; He
states that the original name "Mysia" means hornbeam tree in Lydians.
After Christianity became the official religion in the Roman Empire ,
the first monasteries where monks lived began to be established in
Uludağ after the 3rd century, and the monasteries reached their highest
level in number in the 8th century. 28 monasteries were established in
the valleys and hills between Nilüfer stream and Deliçay in Uludağ .
Orhan Gazi captured Bursa after a long siege, and while some of the
monasteries on the mountain where the monks lived were abandoned, some
of them became hermitages for Muslim dervishes such as Doğu Baba,
Geyikli Baba, Abdal Murat. After the conquest of Bursa , the Turks named
the mountain "Monk Mountain". German traveler Reinhold Lubenau, who came
to Bursa in the 16th century, states that after Uludağ was taken over by
the Turks, the monks went up to the mountain only to worship during the
day and the monasteries were built with stone walls without the use of
mortar. "Olympos Mysios" or "Keşiş Mountain" was named "Uludağ" in 1925,
with the initiatives of the Bursa Provincial Geographical Society and
the suggestion of Osman Şevki Bey .
In 1933, a hotel and a regular road were built on Uludağ, so from that date onwards, Uludağ became a center for winter ski sports. The start of regular bus services has further increased the interest here. This road, which was later covered with asphalt, directly connects all settlements of Uludağ, except Kadıyayla, to Bursa . Uludağ modern mountain facilities, Turkey's first cable car , Bursa Teleferik , which was put into service in 1963, has become the center of mountain and winter tourism as it is right next to Bursa, the fourth largest city. Uludağ is Turkey 's largest ski resort. The suitability of the road conditions, the presence of snow in the long winter season (between October and April) and the unique views attract tourists here. The view of Istanbul , the Marmara Sea and the surrounding areas in clear weather from the peak of the mountain gives this place a special feature. Thermal springs were formed here due to the presence of hot water springs in the eastern and northern foothills close to the Bursa Plain . These hot springs in the Çekirge district of Bursa cure many diseases. The cable car was completely renewed in 2014 and extended to the Kurbağakaya (Hotels) area. In addition, there are summer camps organized by the Red Crescent Association every summer in Sarıalan, which is the intermediate station of the cable car, and in Çobankaya, which is reached by chairlift from Sarıalan. The old senatorium building located in Kirazlıyayla is currently used as a hotel. There are 15 private and 12 public accommodation facilities in Uludağ. There are many chair lifts and teleski lines.
Traces of old glaciers can be found in the high places of Uludağ.
Aynalıgöl, Karagöl and Kilimligöl glacial lakes in the north of Karatepe
are the most important of these traces. The white snowdrifts of these
lakes add to the beauty of these places. There are permanent snow layers
in the northern bowl below Uludağ Hill (2543 m), the summit of Uludağ.
It is the lowest mountain in Turkey with permanent snow.
Uludağ
is one of the rare places in terms of herbal richness. The awakening,
which begins in the lower levels in March, continues at its peak
throughout the summer. Especially on the mountain, which is located
above the forest belt and known as barren by many people, there are very
rich and rare plant species unique to this region.
From 350 m:
laurel , olive , tar juniper , hazelnut , labdanum , heather , red pine
, maquis and shrub areas,
Between 350–700 m: chestnut , maple , judas
tree , berry, mountain strawberry , olive , gooseberry , Cretan
arborvitae , arborvitae , hornbeam , dogwood , hawthorn , stag thistle ,
ivy , wild laurel , elm , beech , aspen , larch ,
Between 700–1000 m:
chestnut, beech , sessile oak , aspen , larch , or dogwood, hawthorn,
stag thistle, medlar ,
From 1000-1050 meters: beech forests reach up
to 1500 meters.
Between 1500–2100 m: Uludağ fir , dwarf juniper,
blueberry , bearberry , wild rose, deer thistle, shepherd's grape ,
willow , larch , beech, hornbeam, aspen, sweet potato, yoghurt , thyme,
bitter gourd , musk onion, chicory , spring star, many-flowered poppy ,
wild apple.
Among the larch forests, alpine plants are dominant,
represented by Scots pine, dwarf junipers after 2100 m, and herbaceous
species up to 2300 m. Oak , chestnut , plane and walnut trees can be
found in the foothills of the mountain , Mediterranean plants in the
300-400 m section, and moist forest plants higher up.
The climate
of the mountain shows gradual changes from the lower levels to the top.
A transitional type of Mediterranean climate and Black Sea climate in
the lower levels is observed. In summer, it does not have as dry a
climate as the Mediterranean. While it turns into a humid micro-thermal
climate type towards the summit, very harsh weather conditions are
observed at higher altitudes in winter. It is located in the first
family of the Eastern Mediterranean climate group. Annual average
temperature decreases towards the peak and precipitation increases. The
annual average temperature in Bursa (100 m) is 14.6 °C and the annual
total precipitation is 696.3 mm, in Sarıalan meteorological station
(1620 m) located on the northern slope of Uludağ, it is 5.5 °C and
1252.1 mm, It reaches 4.6 °C and 1483.6 mm at the Uludağ Zirve (hotels)
meteorological station (1877 m). Especially on the north-facing side, a
climate similar to the Black Sea climate is observed. Orographic
precipitation (slope precipitation) is observed in Sarıalan, Bakacak,
Çobankaya locations in summer. While 14.3% of the annual precipitation
in Sarıalan falls in summer, this rate drops to 10.9% in Uludağ hotels
and 10.4% in Bursa. The number of snowy days also increases towards the
peak. While the number of snowy days in Bursa is 7.5 days and the number
of snow-covered days is 9.4 days, the number of snowy days in Sarıalanda
(1620 m) increases to 48.9 days and the number of snow-covered days
increases to 109.9 days, and in Uludağ hotels (1877 m). ) the number of
days with snowfall reaches 67.5 days and the number of days covered with
snow reaches 179.3 days. The highest snow depth observed in Uludağ is
430 cm. The highest snow depths are generally reached in March. Snowfall
can be observed in the hotels area between September and June. But
mostly snowfalls start in October and continue intermittently until May.
The thickness suitable for skiing is generally reached between 25
November and 15 December and lasts until 15 April and 1 May, depending
on the rainfall. Considering the average statistical data for skiing,
the average number of frosty days is 144.7 days, and the number of days
with the highest daytime temperature below 0 is 54.9 days. The most
suitable temperatures for skiing are observed between December and the
end of March.
Uludağ is an altitude where glaciers were first found in Asia Minor.
In fact, traces of the ice age in our country were first found in Uludağ
in 1904. The Pleistocene glacial traces found on Uludağ are 200 - 300 m
extending from northwest to southeast between the summits surface and
the high plateaus plain. It consists of circuses carved into a
relatively high steep wall. The circuses are the most visible element of
the morphology in the northern part of the summit township of Uludağ,
arranged from northwest to southeast. We examine them in three teams
according to their positions: a) Western group, b) Middle group, c)
Eastern group.
a) Circus group in the West
There are two
cirque lakes included in this group. There are Koğukdere Lake and
Çaylıdere Lake. These two lakes are also called "Twin Circus Lake".
These circuses are located just north of 2500 meters high Sığaktepe. The
dimensions of both circuses are almost the same, approximately 300 - 400
meters, and their base elevation is 2200 meters.
b) The group of
circuses in the middle
This group includes Heybeli Lake and Buzlu
Lake. It is located in the middle part of the steep northern wall of the
summit township of Uludağ. Among the cirques included in this group, the
slightly higher and flatter ridges consist entirely of marble, while
small karst pits and humped rock-like shapes attract attention.
c) Circus group in the east
Three circuses make up this group, which
constitutes the most magnificent and beautiful circuses of Uludağ. These
cirques, whose highest point is eroded on the northern slopes of
Karatepe (2550 m.), are formed by a lake named Aynalı, Karagöl and
Kilimli from west to east.
Aynalıgöl circus, located in the
westernmost part of these, has the shape of a large horseshoe facing
northeast. The diameter of the circus is about 500 meters; In other
words, it is larger than all the circuses in the central and western
groups. Three sides of the circus rise as very high walls. The southern
half of these walls consists of marble, and the northern half consists
of granite, gneiss and hornblende schists. Thus, Aynalı Circus, like all
Uludağ circuses, is located in the granite-marble contact. The second of
the circuses in the Eastern group is Karagöl Circus. It is almost
circular in shape. Just south of Karagöl Circus, Uludağ Hill (2543 m),
the highest point of Uludağ, rises. Thus, the height of the steep cirque
walls surrounding the lake is approaching 300 meters. Karagöl Circus,
like its neighboring circuses, faces north-east and has a moraine wall
of approximately 10 meters in front of it. The third of the circuses in
the eastern group and also the last of the Uludağ circuses is the
Kilimli Lake Circus, the eastern neighbor of Karagöl. The base of this
cirque, through which the granite-marble contact line passes, is
occupied by the relatively smaller and less deep Kilimligöl. The level
of this lake is 2330 meters. The excess water of the lake leaks from
under a 20-meter-high moraine wall that covers the cirque and reappears
a little further down. The feet of these three lakes merge in the future
to form Aksu, which goes down to the eastern end of the Bursa Plain.
Fauna of the lakes region
As a result of zooplankton sampling in
the lakes, 36 taxa were identified, including 7 taxa from 11 families of
Rotifers (wheel animals), and 5 taxa from 3 families of copepods. When
we look at the distribution of rotifers according to stations, it is
seen that Kilimligöl is the richest station with 13 taxa. This is
followed by Aynalıgöl, Karagöl and Buzlu Lake with 9 and 8 taxa. The
poorest station in terms of rotifers was Heybeligöl with 4 taxa. Varying
numbers of Oligochaete (ringworm) species were detected at all stations.
Although the Naididae (mudworm) family is dominant in terms of species
diversity, no Naidid species were found in Kilimligöl, Karagöl and
Aynagöl. As a result, a total of 82 taxa were identified, 36 in the
zooplankton, 38 in the zoobenthos, and 8 in the vertebrate fauna of the
glacial lakes in Uludağ.
Various animals such as bear, wolf, fox, squirrel, rabbit, weasel, snake, wild boar, lizard, vulture, mountain eagle, woodpecker, owl, dove, mountain nightingale and sparrow survive in Uludağ National Park . The red forest ant also provides great benefit to Uludağ forests. A deer breeding farm was also established in Yeşiltarla in 1966. The deer on the farm, which operated for a long time, were released into the wild in 2006. Bearded Vulture (Grpaetus barbatus) is an endemic species living in Uludağ. There are 46 species of butterflies and the Apollo butterfly is endemic to Uludağ. This butterfly, which is the largest butterfly in Turkey, sometimes finds the opportunity to live even at an altitude of 3,000 m. Their bodies are covered with black fur-like feathers. The dark color of the trunk helps it absorb heat from the sun. These wings enable the butterfly to soar tremendously.