The boat ride
Around the village at sunset.
Arif miletli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arif miletli — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Christian1311 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sadrettin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ayhanerçıkış — CC BY-SA 4.0
Gölyazı is a fishing village on a small peninsula in Lake Uluabat, west of Bursa, home to about 1,270 people. It consists of two low hills, one of which becomes an island when the lake rises, joined to the shore by a long, narrow stone bridge. It is known for old houses, storks and sunset boats, and is sometimes called Turkey's little Venice. The village stands on the ancient Greek city of Apollonia, possibly founded by settlers from Miletus, with coins attributed to it from around 450 BC. It prospered in Hellenistic times, was visited by Emperor Hadrian, and became a bishopric in the Byzantine period. Under the Ottomans, Christians and Muslims lived here together, working in fishing, silk and trade across the lake. You wander lanes between old brick-walled Greek houses and see traces of ancient walls and the Church of St Panteleimon. On the shore stands the weeping plane tree, with published estimates of about 700 years; natural spring water seeps from its trunk. The best experience is a sunset boat ride around the village, near Kız Adası, an islet with remains of a temple of Apollo. An annual Stork Festival takes place here. The village is 32 km west of central Bursa in a straight line. By road, take the Bursa to İzmir highway to about kilometre 35, then go 7 km south. A municipal bus from Bursa takes about an hour. Spring, when the storks are here, and the hours before sunset are the best times.
Around the village at sunset.
Spring water seeps from its trunk.
Brick walls and narrow lanes.
Nilüfer, on Lake Uluabat, west of Bursa
Natural spring water seeps from the hollow in its trunk, so it seems to weep. Estimates of its age vary, most at about 700 years.
Usually in spring and early summer, when they nest on rooftops and poles in the village, which also holds an annual festival for them.