Osmaneli, formerly known as Lefke, is a town (pop.~13,000) in Eastern Marmara; nestled in the valley of Sakarya River which connects northwestern Central Anatolia with the Black Sea coast.
The town is divided by the highway D650 in two parts: the upper part leaning against a hillside is the old town, while the lower part across the highway is newer, but still mostly low-rise.
- Traditional architecture. Old town is full of white-washed two-story houses which maintain traditional Ottoman architecture. A brief stroll deep in old town will reveal many details to architecture enthusiasts.
- Church. Built in late 1800s by a Hungarian architect after the whole town burnt down in a big fire, this church has been in disuse since 1920s, when the Greek community of the town left for Greece when a population swap was mandated between Greece and Turkey. Not cared for since then, it now ironically looks like a fire victim, although that is not the situation, as its all wooden parts such as the gate, windows, and the roof are gone, although its stone structure is still as splendid as it used to be, with crosses still visible here and there. Although it was built for the Greek Orthodox, it more resembles Protestant cathedrals of Central Europe, presumably because of the origin of its builder. There is a talk of converting it into a cultural centre for the town.
Traditional architecture. Old town is full of white-washed two-story houses which maintain traditional Ottoman architecture. A brief stroll deep in old town will reveal many details to architecture enthusiasts.
Church. Built in late 1800s by a Hungarian architect after the whole town burnt down in a big fire, this church has been in disuse since 1920s, when the Greek community of the town left for [[Greece]] when a population swap was mandated between Greece and Turkey. Not cared for since then, it now ironically looks like a fire victim, although that is not the situation, as its all wooden parts such as the gate, windows, and the roof are gone, although its stone structure is still as splendid as it used to be, with crosses still visible here and there. Although it was built for the Greek Orthodox, it more resembles Protestant cathedrals of [[Central Europe]], presumably because of the origin of its builder. There is a talk of converting it into a cultural centre for the town.
- Dia. 10AM-9PM. National supermarket chain Dia has a store in Osmaneli, where you can find bottled water, soft and alcoholic beverages, snacks, and fresh fruit on a discounted rate. Credit cards are accepted.
Dia. 10AM-9PM. National supermarket chain Dia has a store in Osmaneli, where you can find bottled water, soft and alcoholic beverages, snacks, and fresh fruit on a discounted rate. Credit cards are accepted.
The telephone code of the town is (+90) 228.
- İznik, another historic town in the region, is about 30 km to west from Osmaneli. Six minibus services every day, with two-hour intervals between 8:30AM-6:30PM connect the town with İznik.
[[Iznik|İznik]], another historic town in the region, is about 30 km to west from Osmaneli. Six minibus services every day, with two-hour intervals between 8:30AM-6:30PM connect the town with İznik.