Selimiye Mosque: An Iconic Symbol of Ottoman Architecture and Culture

The Edirne Selimiye Mosque and Complex is widely considered to be a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, crafted by the famed architect Mimar Sinan. Commissioned during the reign of Sultan Selim II, the mosque is a true gem of the era and continues to mesmerize visitors to this day. At the impressive age of 80, Mimar Sinan undertook the creation of this awe-inspiring work, which is now owned by the Sultan Selim Foundation. This content delves into the rich history of the Selimiye Mosque, offering a comprehensive guide to all those who seek to explore its unique architectural and cultural significance.Selimiye Mosque is a work commissioned by Mimar Sinan during the reign of Ottoman sultan Selim II. This place is located in Edirne, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire. Mimar Sinan built the Selimiye Mosque at the age of 80 and called this work 'My masterwork'.The construction of the Selimiye Mosque, one of the most important works of Ottoman architecture, was started in 1568 according to the inscription. Friday November 27, 1574 was planned to open the mosque. After the death of Selim II, it was opened for worship on March 14, 1575.The Selimiye Mosque, whose property is owned by the Sultan Selim Foundation, was included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2000. in 2011, it was registered as a World Heritage Site.Selimiye Mosque is a well-known monument in many parts of the world with its unique architecture. In Selimiye, which is located on a hill, special architectural details have been used. Selimiye Mosque is covered with a single lebi with a height of 43.25 meters and a diameter of 31.25 meters. The dome is also seated on a pulley based on 8 columns.The pulley is connected to its filaments by 6 meter wide belts. The interior, designed in this way, has a design that is easily understandable at once. There are minarets in the four corners of the mosque and each minaret has three cheers.Some of the tiles of the Selimiye Mosque, which attracts attention with its marble, tile and calligraphy works, were dismantled by the Russian general Mikhail Skobelev during the Ottoman-Russian War of 1877-1878 and taken to Moscow.There is an elaborate fountain made of marble in the middle of the courtyard of the Selimiye Mosque, which has three doors opening to the north, south and courtyard. There is also a Siberian school, a darul kurra, a darul hadith, a madrasa and an imaret in the outer courtyard.There is an inverted tulip under one of the marble legs of the muezzin chamber of the mosque. According to the rumor of this, there were tulips in the plot where the mosque was built before. The owner of the land did not want his land to be sold first. Finally, he sold his land by asking Mimar Sinan to have a tulip motif in the mosque. The reason Mimar Sinan made the tulip motif in reverse was to indicate the owner's inverse.Selimiye Mosque is located in Edirne. You can reach Edirne from Istanbul by D-100 highway. The distance from Istanbul to Edirne is about 238 kilometers. You can also come via the Aegean Region via Çanakkale via the D550 highway. You can reach Edirne from Tekirdağ with a 142-kilometer journey.You can reach the necessary location for Selimiye Mosque transportation information from below:Address: Meydan, Mimar Sinan Cd., 22020 Edirne Center/EdirneŞadırvan, which is located just below Muezzinler Mahfeli, has importance for Selimiye Mosque. This fountain is made of marble.People living in this vicinity believe that the water flowing from this fountain of Selimiye Mosque is zamzam water.If you are thinking of visiting Selimiye Mosque, you can take advantage of the following traveler reviews:'The mosque that Mimar Sinan described as my masterwork. A complex-like campus built in Edirne, which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire for a period. There are buildings in it that were used as both a medical faculty and a hospital during the Ottoman period. It is a place that everyone should definitely visit and see.'Selimiye Mosque, the masterwork of the Architect Sinan, the ordinary architect of architecture, who deserves the rank of architecture to the end. ''A must-see place in Edirne has a wonderful peaceful environment, there were also very nice museums in the form of very large and small small rooms, there was a madrasa museum, a place that needed to be visited, and also a mosque with a very high spirituality had a very nice bazaar at the bottom, don't forget to visit there, you can find beautiful pieces to be taken as souvenirs'While you are here to see the Selimiye Mosque, you should definitely visit the following places around Edirne:The Old MosqueBurmese MosqueThe Great SynagogueII. Bayezid Complex