Photos

North of Tekirdag on the border between Greece and Turkey, Edirne (Adrianople) was for some years the Ottoman capital and in the 18th century one of the seven largest cities in Europe. On a verdant plain of poplar trees near the junction of the Tunca and Meric Rivers, this gracefully historic city welcomes visitors as they make their way to Istanbul and other points east. The people of Edirne trace their origins back beyond the rule of the Macedonians. The Roman emperor Hadrian rebuilt the city and renamed it Hadrianople after himself. With the division of the Roma Empire, the Byzantines claimed Edirne. In 1361, Sultan Murat l added it to his empire.
The city's role for almost 100 years as capital of the Ottoman Empire accounts for its many historically and architecturally important buildings. With its mosques, religious complexes, bridges, old bazaars, caravanserais and palaces, Edirne is a living museum
The Selimiye Mosque is the city's focal poþnt occupying the top of a hill. Sinan's design reflects the classical Ottoman style. Build on the orders of Sulta Selim ll (1569 - 1575) it attests to the techonological abilities of the day and the genius of the master Ottoman architect