Bilecik Province () is a province in midwest Turkey, neighboring Bursa to the west, Kocaeli and Sakarya to the north, Bolu to the east, Eskià Âehir to the southeast and Kütahya to the south. Its area is 4,179 km<sup>2</sup>, and its population is 228,673 (2022). Most of the province laid down in Marmara region but eastern parts of Gölpazarñ and SöÃÂüt district and districts of ðnhisar and Yenipazar remained in Black Sea Region, smaller southeastern parts of Bozüyük and SöÃÂüt remained in Central Anatolia Region and smaller southwestern part of Bozüyük remained in Aegean Region.
The region was inhabited as early as 3000 BC, and was part of the territory controlled by such notable civilizations as the Hittites (1400âÂÂ1200 BC), the Phrygians (1200âÂÂ676 BC), Lydians (595âÂÂ546 BC), Persians (546âÂÂ334 BC), Romans (74âÂÂ395 AD) and Byzantians (395 AD to late 13th century, with two brief occupations by Umayyads in between).
The region also contains SöÃÂüt, the small town where the Kayi tribe of Turkomans under Osman Gazi united as the Ottomans and founded the Ottoman Beylik which would later develop into the Ottoman Empire which was founded in 1299, and is the source of important archeological as well as cultural artifacts.
Bilecik Province contains wide array of geographical and climatic zones in its borders. The province is dominated by hills and deep valleys. The western end of the Anatolian Plateau is also located in the province. Sakarya River and Karasu are the most important rivers in the province.
Bilecik province is divided into 8 districts (capital district in bold):
In SöÃÂüt a site of interest is the Ethnographical Museum.
The town Bilecik is famous for its numerous restored Turkish houses.
Some other sites of interest in the province are: Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi Mosques, Seyh Edebali and Mal Hatun mausoleums, Köprülü Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Köprülü Caravanserai, Kaplikaya tombs, Rüstem Pasha Mosque, and Gülalan Pavilion.