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Edirne

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View of Selimiye mosque in Edirne, Turkey. Unesco heritage site. Famous works of Ottoman architecture. Selimiye Mosque, designed by Mimar Sinan in 1575.

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Overview

Capital of the Ottoman empire before Mehmet II conquered Constantinople and moved his court there, Edirne is blessed with imperial building stock, a notable culinary heritage and a lingering and much-cherished sense of civic grandeur. Close to the Greek and Bulgarian borders, the city has a European flavour that is best appreciated in summer, when locals party on the banks of the Tunca and Meriç Rivers and cheer on the contestants at the world-famous Kırkpınar oil-wrestling festival.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • View of Selimiye mosque in Edirne, Turkey. Unesco heritage site. Famous works of Ottoman architecture. Selimiye Mosque, designed by Mimar Sinan in 1575.

    Selimiye Mosque

    Edirne

    Designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Koca Sinan (1497–1588), whose best-known works adorn İstanbul's skyline, this exquisite World Heritage–listed mosque…

  • Sarayiçi

    Sarayiçi

    Edirne

    It was here, in the 15th century, that Sultan Murat II built the Eski Sarayı (Old Palace). Little remains of this grand structure, which was blown up just…

  • Kaleiçi

    Kaleiçi

    Edirne

    Roughly translated, kaleiçi means 'inside the castle'. In Edirne it is used to describe the old streets to the south of Talat Paşa Caddesi and west of…

  • Sultan Beyazıt II Mosque Complex

    Sultan Beyazıt II Mosque Complex

    Edirne

    Standing in splendid isolation on the banks of the Tunca River, this complex was commissioned by Sultan Beyazıt II and built between 1484 and 1488. The…

  • Old Mosque

    Old Mosque

    Edirne

    Though not as prominent on Edirne's skyline as the Selimiye and Üç Şerefeli mosques, the Eski (Old) Mosque is an important landmark in the city and has a…

  • Grand Synagogue of Edirne

    Grand Synagogue of Edirne

    Edirne

    Reopened in 2016 after a 36-year closure and a five-year US$2.5 million restoration project, Edirne's Grand Synagogue is the sole reminder of when a…

  • Üç Şerefeli Mosque

    Üç Şerefeli Mosque

    Edirne

    Edirne's merkez (town centre) is visually dominated by this mosque, which was built by order of Sultan Murat II between 1437 and 1447 and has four…

  • Museum of Health

    Museum of Health

    Edirne

    The extremely beautiful darüşşifa (hospital) and tip medresesi (medical school) in the Sultan Beyazıt II mosque complex now house this museum tracing the…

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