İznik
İznik | |
|---|---|
District and municipality | |
Map showing İznik District in Bursa Province | |
| Coordinates: 40°25′45″N 29°43′16″E / 40.42917°N 29.72111°E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Bursa |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kağan Mehmet Usta (AKP) |
Area | 753 km2 (291 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | 44,236 |
| • Density | 59/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (TRT) |
| Postal code | 16860 |
| Area code | 0224 |
| Website | www |
İznik (Turkish pronunciation: [izˈnik]) is a municipality and district of Bursa Province, Turkey. Its area is 753 km2, and its population 44,236 (2022). The town is at the site of the ancient city of Nicaea, from which the modern name derives. The town lies in a fertile basin at the eastern end of Lake İznik, with ranges of hills to the north and south. As the crow flies, the town is only 90 kilometres (56 miles) southeast of Istanbul but by road it is 200 km (124 miles) around the Gulf of İzmit. It is 80 km (50 miles) by road from Bursa.
İznik has been a district centre of the province of Bursa since 1930 but belonged to the district of Kocaeli between 1923 and 1927. It was a township of Yenişehir district (connected to Bilecik before 1926) between 1927 and 1930.
Ancient Nicaea was ringed with walls that survive to this day, despite having been pierced in places to accommodate roads. Inside the walls stands the Ayasofya Mosque where the Second Council of Nicaea was held in A.D. 787. The town is famous for the Iznik tiles and pottery.