Locals flock to Bursa's hot spring oasis, seeking healing

BURSA

A hot spring pond in the Marmara province of Bursa's İnegöl district has become a popular destination for locals seeking relief from skin ailments.

Discovered during a mineral water excavation, the pond's consistently hot water of 55 degrees Celcius draws visitors from nearby areas.

In 2010, a company conducted an excavation for mineral water in the area. However, the site revealed a hot spring with a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius, prompting the company to abandon the area. The hot spring water was left to its fate. Over time, the increasing temperature of the water caught the attention of locals. For the past 14 years, people have been flocking to the pond to seek healing in the continuously flowing water.

Located 25 kilometers away from the district center, the pond formed by the travertine of the hot spring water has become a popular destination for visitors.

The head of Kurşunlu Village, İbrahim Kılıç, who believes in the therapeutic properties of the hot spring water and calls for the establishment of a spa center in the area, stated, "The hot water has healing properties. It has remedies for fungus, eczema, skin diseases and many other ailments."

Yaşa Bakan, a local who came to İnegöl after hearing about the hot spring water, said, "Water is gushing out from underground, it's spring water. Of course, there are remedies. I heard about this place from my circle of friends. My friend came, he also heard about it from his friend. That's how places like these are found. There are people coming from out of town, from abroad."

Şamil Kafurov, who came to Bursa from Azerbaijan as a guest and visited the area upon hearing about the water's importance, said, "It's very beautiful, and is said to have healing properties. We spent about $700 to $800 per person coming here from Azerbaijan as there is no such place there."