EDIRNE SELIMIYE MOSQUE AND ITS SOCIAL COMPLEX

The Selimiye Mosque and its social complex, which have been the masterpieces of
Ottoman art and have a particular place in the history, were placed on the UNESCO
World Heritage List in 2011 as the tenth site in Turkey on the list. The Selimiye
Mosque has been the symbol of Edirne, the capital of Ottoman Empire before the
conquest of Istanbul. The mosque is visible from all part of the city in its entire
splendor. With its monumental dome and four slender minarets, it has been praised
for centuries. The construction of the mosque started in 1568 and lasted seven years.
Thousands were employed during the construction.

The mosque was designed and built by Mimar Sinan, the architect royal, who regarded
it as his “masterwork”. The dome is certainly the centre of attention with an awe
inspiring span of 31.22m and a soaring height of 42.30m. Four slender minarets reach
the highest possible height for such small intersections. Every minaret contains three
sherefes and three stairways, each leading to a different platform, and also as a
unique design feature, these stairways are completely independent from each other.
The glazed tile decorations of the Mosque are also highly acclaimed. The tiles were
manufactured in Iznik which was at its zenith as a centre of excellence. Here are one
hundred and one different designs of tulip used in the decorations. The mihrab and
minbar are considered to be one of the finest examples of marble carving.

Around the rest of the mosque were many additions: libraries, schools,

hospices, baths, soup kitchens for the poor, markets, hospitals, and a cemetery. A
market place was commissioned to the architect Davud Aga during the reign of Sultan
Murad III, so as to create a steady income for the upkeep of mosque.