Feature: Ancient Turkish village lures massive tourists

Bursa is located in the northwest of Turkey's ancient capital of the Ottoman Empire. As the city's historical sites and the surrounding Cumalikizik village last year was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, more and more tourists tour the village.

Recently, Xinhua reporters drove 10 kilometers to the east of the city of Bursa for a trip to Cumalikizik village located at the foot of Mount Uludag, listening to the cock crow, watching the mud-built houses and smelling the breath of firewood in the streets of the village. This feeling made them thinking of the original village.

Bursa and Cumalikizik village shows the historical group about the establishment of early Ottoman urban and rural systems of the 14th century.

The landscape includes eight commercial areas, green mosques, religious schools, public baths and the Ottoman Empire's graves. Cumalikizik village is the only one of this group of historical sites in the countryside.

The village is a typical representative of the Ottoman Empire in rural areas of the building. By the lower half of the houses made of adobe and stones while the upper half made of wood, mostly two to three storey.

There are iron knockers on the wooden handles and the doors. By narrow cobblestone streets, there are medieval drains still in use.

Cumalikizik village has 270 old houses, of which 180 are being used, the rest of the houses are being repaired.

In front of her owncrocheted crafts for sale, Hatice Dal told Xinhua: "I have been living here for generations, although my son and daughter work in Bursa city, my husband and I don't want to leave here. I'm glad that Cumalikizik is in the UNESCO World Heritage List and I hope more and more tourists come to enjoy this historical village."

"Cumalikizik is preserved as the original style of the Ottoman Empire. In addition to visiting tourists, you can also buy local handicrafts and homemade jams and other agricultural products. During the winter, visitors can go to Uludag mountain for skiing," Hatice Dal said.

Walking to a teahouse, villagers are basking and chatting in the sun in the yard of the teahouse. Teahouse owner Onder Senol told reporters: "Duirng the Ottoman Empire period, people liked the blue, so this village shows the majority of blue houses. Later, with the changing times, people gradually began to use purple, yellow, light green and brown houses."

Onder said that since Cumalikizik village was named in the World Heritage List, the Turkish government has increased investments to restore this historical village and the old houses in it. I hope the United Nations and the Turkish government will give more support and help, so Cumalikizik can attract more tourists. Endit