Turkiye
Selimiye Mosque
The Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex in Edirne are considered the pinnacle of the career of the most famous Ottoman architect, Sinan.
The mosque was built between 1569 and 1575 and owes its beauty to the symmetry of the building and the optimal lighting inside. It has a large dome surrounded by four 71-meter-high minarets. The adjacent building complex has a social function with a religious background and includes two madrasas, a bazaar, a courtyard and a library.
Community Perspective: Edirne is a pleasant city and worth staying overnight in (don’t do it as a day trip from Istanbul, see Nan’s review why). The mosque has been under renovation for a long time now, but even then it is worth visiting as Els reports.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- Selimiye Mosque and its social Complex (ID: 1366)
- Country
- Turkiye
- Status
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Inscribed 2011
Site history
History of Selimiye Mosque
- 2011: Inscribed
- Inscribed
- WHS Type
- Cultural
- Criteria
- i
- iv
Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Related Resources
- edirnevdb.gov.tr — Selimiye Camii
News Article
- Nov. 27, 2021 dailysabah.com — Restoration at Edirne's UNESCO-listed Selimiye Mosque begins
- Feb. 9, 2018 dailysabah.com — Selimiye Mosque to go through extensive restoration
- July 30, 2015 hurriyetdailynews.com — Convicts work as excavators in Selimiye Mosque garden
Community Information
- Community Category
- Religious structure: Islamic
Travel Information
One million visitors or more
Undergoing Restoration or Repair
Recent Connections
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Perfect Inscriptions
2011 -
Located in a TCC Territory
Turkey in Europe -
Free entrance
Connections of Selimiye Mosque
- Individual People
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Baha’u’llah
Between 1843 and 1848, Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith was exiled to Adrianople by the Ottomans, and during that period he and his family worshipped regularly at the Selimiye Mosque
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- Trivia
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One million visitors or more
In 2023, we estimate that around 5 million tourists visited Selimiye Mosque. // Nearly 3 million people come to visit the historical mosque every year (see link) -
Google Doodles
15 April 2009, Mimar Sinan's BirthdaySee www.google.com
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On Banknotes
The mosque was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 10,000 lira banknotes of 1982-1995 -
In Video Games
Age of Empires II: Turks (Ottomans): Selimiye Mosque in Edirne
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- History
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Ottoman Empire
Example of Ottoman architecture in Edirne
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- Architecture
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Muqarnas
The entrance portal to the mosque's prayer hall has more typical muqarnas canopy (wiki) -
Domes
single great dome -
Glazed tiles
Iznik tiles -
Designed by Mimar Sinan
The mosque (completed in 1574) is widely regarded as Sinan's crowning masterpiece (wiki) -
Octagons
The amalgamation of the main hall forms a fused octagon with the dome-covered square (wiki) -
Brick architecture
"masonry with alternating brickwork" (AB ev) -
Spolia
"... surrounded by a domevaulted colonnade. The six columns on each side are reused from ruins in Cyprus, Aydincik in the vicinity of Kapidagi peninsula, and Syria." (AB ev)
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- Damaged
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Destroyed or damaged by Earthquake
"The earthquake of 1752 caused some damage to the balconies of one minaret, some of the window glass and cracked the dome over the Muvakkithane." (AB ev)
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- World Heritage Process
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Perfect Inscriptions
2011
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- Religion and Belief
- Constructions
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Notable minarets
with its four soaring minarets it dominates the city skyline (OUV) -
Sundial
see AB ev -
Bazaars and Market Halls
covered Arasta bazaar
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- WHS on Other Lists
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European Destinations of excellence
2008 -
Located in a TCC Territory
Turkey in Europe
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- Timeline
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Built in the 16th century
between 1569 and 1575
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- Science and Technology
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Astronomy and Astrology
The Muvakkithane (clock house) is located in the northeast corner room ... From here the Muvakkit (timekeepers) prepared the annual calendar and the Ramadan timetable. They also gave basic astronomy lessons when required. (AB) -
Libraries
Within the mosque
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- Visiting conditions
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Undergoing Restoration or Repair
Restoration work began in 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025. During the restoration, the mosque will be open for worship and visit. -
Free entrance
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- WHS Names
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Named after individual people
After Sultan Selim II who commissioned it.
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News
- dailysabah.com 11/27/2021
- Restoration at Edirne's UNESCO-lis…
- dailysabah.com 02/09/2018
- Selimiye Mosque to go through exte…
- hurriyetdailynews.com 07/30/2015
- Convicts work as excavators in Sel…
Recent Visitors
Visitors of Selimiye Mosque
- Adrian Turtschi
- Alexander Barabanov
- Alexander Lehmann
- Alexander Parsons
- A. Mehmet Haksever
- amitlchoudhuryjbp
- Ana
- Andrea Gormley
- Argo
- Artur Anuszewski
- Astraftis
- Atila Ege
- AYB
- bergecn
- BH
- Bin
- Bodil Ankerly
- Can SARICA
- Carlos Garrido
- ChenMing
- Chen Taotao
- Christravelblog
- Chunsian01
- Clyde
- Corinne Vail
- Craig Harder
- Csaba Nováczky
- CynthiaSam
- Dagmara
- Dani Cyr
- David Berlanda
- Dimitar Krastev
- Dorejd
- Einziger
- Els Slots
- Erik Jelinek
- Fan Yibo
- Farinelli
- Feldhase
- ferhatdonmez
- Fmaiolo@yahoo.com
- Francky D'Hoop
- Geert Luiken
- George Gdanski
- ge zhang
- GithaK
- Hadrianus
- Harry Mitsidis
- Hasco
- H Beswick
- henryjiao18
- Hubert
- Iain Jackson
- Ivan Rucek
- Izzet Ege
- Jancidobso
- Janos
- Jarek Pokrzywnicki
- Jasam
- Jawnbeary
- jduffhue
- Jeanne OGrady
- john booth
- John Smaranda
- Jonas Hagung
- JoStof
- Joyce van Soest
- Judit Andrea Juhász
- KarenBMoore
- Kerékgyártó
- Knut
- Krijn
- la caperucita roja
- La Concy
- Lado Joel
- lichia
- liu tuo
- Loic Pedras
- Ludvan
- Luis Filipe Gaspar
- Luke LOU
- Maciej Gil
- Martina Rúčková
- maryhattie
- Max Smits
- MaYumin
- Mia esguerra
- Michael Novins
- Michal Marciniak
- Mihai Dascalu
- Mike
- Mikita M
- Milena Tzoneva
- Miloš Tašković
- Mirasworld
- Monica Tasciotti
- nan
- Nihal Ege
- Persian Globetrotter
- Peter Day
- Petteri
- Philipp Leu
- Philipp Peterer
- Pink Bunny
- Piotr Wasil
- Rafał Kałczuga
- Randi Thomsen
- Reza
- Roger Ourset
- Roman Bruehwiler
- Royacurt
- Sascha Grabow
- scubarrie
- Sergio Arjona
- SHIHE HUANG
- shoaibmnagi
- Socon
- Sofia SJM
- Solivagant
- Stanislaw Warwas
- StaziG
- Svein Elias
- Szucs Tamas
- Tammy Gouldstone
- Tarquinio_Superbo
- Tatiana Nikulnikova
- Thibault Magnien
- Thomas Buechler
- Thomas Harold Watson
- Thomas van der Walt
- TimAllen
- Tony H.
- triath
- Van Hung
- Werner Huber
- WILLIAM RICH
- Wojciech Fedoruk
- Yamen
- YaroMir
- Yevhen Ivanovych
- Yuri Samozvanov
- Zoë Sheng
Community Reviews
Show full reviews
I had been in doubt whether to include the Selimiye Mosque in my Western Turkey itinerary, due to the ongoing renovations (would it be worth visiting anyway in this condition?) and the tiring detour one has to make from Istanbul to get to Edirne. But eventually, I decided to bite the bullet and clear all WHS in this region so I don’t ‘have to’ revisit. I solved the logistical problem by taking a direct bus from Istanbul Airport to Edirne. The company Istanbul Seyahat has one every 2 hours (bookable online via Obilet). The ride takes only 3 hours as this way you avoid the heavy traffic in the Istanbul metropolis.
It had been difficult to find information beforehand about the state of the renovations. I only knew that the mosque would stay open to visitors and worshippers. Well, I found the building completely covered in scaffolding – except for one of the minarets. Still, the sheer size of the building and the delicately slender minarets impressed me.
I then started looking for a way in. From the covered market (also part of the core zone) and a public toilet, you can enter the building near the minaret which is free of scaffolding. My guess would be that only 15% of the interior is currently accessible - the finely carved details and the tiles (all from Iznik) betray the building’s artistic wealth. The rest of the mosque is fully hidden behind cardboard partition walls, on which they have …
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After a few days in Turkey the ennui that I generally reserve to Baroque churches had settled in for Ottoman mosques. "You seen one, you have seen them all." I figured. So, you may understand why I really questioned the 6.5h one way trip from Istanbul upon arrival in Edirne.
But the site really won me over as soon as it entered my view and even more so when I stepped into it. The murals and the proportions are stunning. To me it felt as if all of Ottomon architecture was coming together in this great mosque by Sinan.
While You Are There
Edirne having been the second Ottoman capital (after Bursa) has several representative Ottoman buildings to visit. Specifically, the tentative site of Sultan Bayezid II Complex Is well worth the short stroll out of town.
Getting There
I did Edirne in one hellish day trip from Istanbul. The net driving time would be less than three hours. However, you need to get out of Istanbul first and that can easily take an hour or more.
If you travel by bus (as I did), you will also spend significant time getting to the bus station in Istanbul and waiting around (Metro Otogar). I think in total I spent more than 50% of the lengthy trip time in Istanbul (6.5h to, 4.5h back).
Finally, the bus station in Edirne is quite far outside town. Even by cab I would assume this takes 15-20min. By local bus …
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I visited Edirne in January 2014. It is quite off the beaten track due to its geographic position not far from the borders of Bulgaria and Greece. It is around 238km from Istanbul but well worth a visit. The main highlight of this WHS is the squarish Selimiye Mosque built by Mimar Sinan around 1575. The 4 minarets that adorn this mosque are indeed the tallest in the Muslim world. It is built in the centre of a kulliye, ie. a complex including a hospital, an Islam teaching centre, a bazaar, gardens, a courtyard and also a cemetery.
I enjoyed the fact that the locals are the main inhabitants of this town and tourists are a minority (unlike Istanbul). The best mosque interior in Edirne (if not the Islamic world!) can be seen in the old Eski Mosque, with its red and white archways (like Cordoba's mesquita) and the huge black Islamic calligraphy on the walls. Another mosque worth visiting is the Ottaman Üç Şerefeli Mosque with is candy-like spiral minaret. As an aside, do try the Edirne Kofte! Truly delicious!
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Edirne (known as Adrianople until the Ottoman period) is easily accessible by bus from Istanbul and Canakkale.
This fine example of Muslim architecture is regarded as Mimar Koca Sinan's master work, eclipsing that of his Selimiye Mosque in Istanbul. An unusual feature is the statue of Sinan that stands within the gardens of the mosque.
Besides being a Muslim Holy Place, the mosque in Edirne is also regarded as a Baha'i Holy Place. Between 1843 and 1848, Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith was exiled to Adrianople by the Ottomans, and during that period he and his family worshipped regularly at the Selimiye Mosque.
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