Selimiye Mosque and its social complex [antikvár]

PREFACE Edirne is a historic city whose foundation goes back to ancient times; its name derives from HadrianopoUs, the city of Emperor Hadrian. Ottomans took over the Byzantine city and made it their capital at the end of the fourteenth century. Starting with the fifteenth century, the settlement expanded outside the Roman walls and a new commercial and residential area developed to the east and north of the ancient city walls. Many important buildings were erected in Edirne during the first half of the fifteenth century. Standing on the main road connecting Istanbul to the Balkans, the city continued to be a lively, prosperous town even after Istanbul became the new capital in 1455. With its wide green areas and beautiful New Palace, Edirne offered the sultans and their families a serene, peaceful atmosphere for recreation; they loved to spend time in this beautiful town full of the memories of their ancestors. This book is about Edirne's great treasure: Selimiye Complex. With his affection for the city, Selim 11 chose the old capital to raise his everlasting monument. Architect Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottomans designed the Selimiye Complex which incorporates a monumental mosque, two madrasas and a primary school.The foundation stone of the complex was laid by Sultan Selim If in 1568. Selimiye s construction changed the silhouette of the city; the beautiful mosque with a dome wider than thirty meters added a new layer to Edirne's rich architectural heritage from early Ottoman period. As part of Istanbul's Historic Areas, Architect Sinan's works like the §ehzade and Siileymaniye complexes became World Heritage assets in 1985.