Edirne, formerly Adrianople, is Turkey's westernmost city with
almost 170,000 inhabitants. It is located in the
Bulgarian-Greek-Turkish border triangle, in Eastern Thrace, the
European part of Turkey. At the same time it is also the center of
the central district (Merkez). Edirne was temporarily the capital of
the Ottoman Empire and is now the administrative center of the
province of the same name. In its history it bore the names Odrysai
(Thracian), Orestia (ancient Greek) and Hadrianopolis (Latin, city
of Hadrian).
In Edirne, the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire
concluded peace three times, with the Holy Roman Empire in 1568 and
with the Russian Empire in 1713 and 1829.
Selimiye Mosque (Selimiye Camii). The magnificent mosque dominates
the city skyline. It's best approached from the northwest to get the
full effect and visit the shops along the way. It is the masterpiece of
Mimar Sinan, built in 1569-75 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The eight columns supporting the dome are unobtrusive, allowing
the dome to float over a vast interior space while 999 windows let in a
flood of light. Four delicate fluted minarets rise to 70.89 m, surpassed
only by Qutub Minar in Delhi. The interior is decorated with calligraphy
and geometric patterns in pink and blue. The inverted tulip decoration,
an emblem of Edirne, is intended to recognize the previous landowner who
did not want to give up his tulip garden to build the mosque.
Old
Mosque (Eski Cami, Edirne) . It was built in the 15th century, making it
the oldest and smallest of the city's three imperial mosques. It is a
low-rise building with nine domes and two minarets, with distinctive
calligraphy inside.
Üç Şerefeli Mosque (Üç Şerefeli Cami) . Its name
refers to the three balconies or galleries on the tallest minaret. The
other three minarets are all designed differently. The interior of the
mosque has a colorfully decorated central dome surrounded by smaller
domes in different color patterns supported by stately columns.
Muradiye Mosque (Muradiye Camii). This was built in 1435/36 as part of a
Mevlevi dervish complex, but later became a mosque in its own right. It
has beautiful tile work, especially in the mihrab, probably by the
"Masters of Tabriz" who decorated the mosque in Bursa and later the Üç
Şerefeli Mosque in Edirne. Some of the wall decorations were
whitewashed, and the building required repairs several times after
earthquakes: the minaret was rebuilt in 1957. It's in a dingy area where
children beg for baksheesh.
Great Synagogue (Edirne Büyük Sinagogu).
The Great Fire of 1905 destroyed its predecessor, so this synagogue
opened in 1909 to serve the large Jewish population. They were mostly
Sephardic and descended from those who were expelled from Spain in 1492
and fled to Ottoman territory. The synagogue is built in the Moorish
style and modeled on the Leopoldstadt Temple in Vienna. It was abandoned
in 1983 and fell into disrepair as its congregation left for Israel and
elsewhere. It was restored and reopened with a service in 2015, but is
not routinely used for religious services. There is a small museum
inside.
St. Constantine and Helena Church (Sveti Konstantin-Elena
Kilisesi) . Bulgarian Orthodox church from 1869.
Saint George Church
(Sveti Georgi Bulgar Kilisesi (Edirne)) . Basilica-style Bulgarian
Orthodox church opened in 1880 and still in use. Normally closed except
for church services. The caretaker will allow visitors in upon request.
Also ask him to see the museum upstairs and climb the bell tower.
Arasta Bazaar. The market hall along the southwest flank of the mosque
is worth a visit, even if you don't want to buy anything.
Macedonian
Tower (Makedon Kulesi). Here are the last remains of the Roman city
walls: they were part of the fortress built by Hadrian in the 2nd
century AD and expanded in the Byzantine 10th century. There were four
watchtowers, and this one looked towards Macedonia, although they were
most eager to wait for the Bulgarians or the fires in the city. The
fortress was demolished in the 19th century, leaving only this tower on
which a clock tower was built. It was shaken by several earthquakes and
had to be partially dismantled in 1953. Some modern repairs have been
made, but the tower is dilapidated and cannot be entered.
Sokullu
Mehmet Paşa Hamamı. This hammam is another masterpiece of Sinan, the
great architect. Built in 1568-69, the baths are still open to the
public today, with (of course) separate areas for men and women. The
building has been well restored, but the cleanliness and water
temperature are unpredictable, so it is better to look at it rather than
swim.
Museum of Archeology and Ethnography. The original 1924 museum
was part of the mosque complex; It moved here in 1971 when the
collection expanded. The museum shows the eventful history of the region
with a focus on the Thracian period. The gardens contain a prehistoric
dolmen removed from its original location, a reconstructed ancient
Thracian hut, and Roman and Ottoman tombstones.
Museum of Islamic Art
(İslam Eserleri Müzesi). This was the original Edirne Museum in a
madrassah of the mosque. The main collection moved across the street in
1971. You enter the museum past a statue of Sinan the Architect. Lots of
calligraphy and other fine arts and crafts.
Şükrü Paşa Memorial.
Monument to Rüştü Pasha, the commander who defended the city during the
Balkan Wars of 1913. The adjacent small museum is closed indefinitely
“for restoration.”
Historical caravanserai Rüstepaşa. The Vervansaray
is very old - more than 600 years old. The caravans to and from Istanbul
used to rest there. Now it is a market selling a variety of goods, many
of them traditional Turkish goods.
Caravanserai Ekmekçizade. Also
known as Ayşe Kadın Hanı, it is a building that now serves as the State
Theater. This structure was built in 1609 by Sedefkar Mehmed Ağa and
Edirne architect Hacı Şaban Ağa at the request of Ekçekçizade Ahmet
Pasha and was donated to Sultan Ahmed.
Deveci Han Kervansarayi. Today
an office building and multi-purpose hall for exhibitions.
Kanuni Bridge (Kanuni Köprüsü). medieval stone bridge.
Saraçhane
Bridge (Saraçhane Köprüsü). medieval stone bridge.
Edirne Palace
Ruins (Edirne Sarayı). The palace was built between 1450 and 1475 and
was the seat of power of the Ottoman Empire. Even when the capital was
moved to Constantinople, it was still a great summer retreat and hunting
lodge. But from 1718 onwards it suffered neglect, earthquakes, fire,
military occupation and finally in 1878 an ammunition depot within it
was deliberately blown up to prevent capture by foreign troops. The
kitchens have been restored. Today you can only see the foundation
walls.
Kum Kasrı Hamam
Matbah-ı Âmire. known as the kitchen
structure of the New Palace of Edirne (Saray-ı Cedid-i Âmire), built
during the reign of Mehmed in the 15th century. In addition to its
architectural features, it also reflects the peculiarities of its time
with its building materials and techniques.
Justice Tower. The
Justice Pavilion, the only surviving building of the Edirne Palace, was
built by Mimar Sinan of Suleiman the Magnificent in 1561. It has four
floors, including the ground floor, and there is a marble fountain pool
on the upper floor. In his time, it was used as Divan-ı Hümayun (Council
of Ministers) and Supreme Court.
Balkan Wars Memorial Cemetery
(Edirne Balkan Şehitliği). Around 30,000 soldiers who died in the siege
of Edirne in 1913 are buried here.
Bayezid II Health Museum (Sultan
II Bayezid Külliyesi Sağlık Müzesi). This complex was founded in 1484 by
Sultan Bayezid II. In addition to the hospital, there was a medical
school, a mosque, a guest house, a poorhouse and a Turkish bath.
Initially it was a general medical and surgical hospital, but
specialized in mental health. They followed enlightened holistic methods
before they were adopted in the West: Instead of locking patients in
cells with shackles, they used meditative music, scents and flower
gardens. It was incorporated into Trakya University and the museum
displays miniatures from Ottoman medical textbooks and models of
patients.
Hıdırlık Casemates (Hıdırlık Tabyası). A huge hilltop
redoubt and fortress built from 1829 against Russian attacks, although
its heyday was in the Balkan Wars of 1913. It had little value against
the weapons of the 20th century and fell into disrepair. The restoration
has been underway since 2011 with no end in sight, so the fortress
remains fenced off, although you can still access Hıdır Baba Park.
Karaağaç Train Station (Karaağaç Tren İstasyonu). is not where you would
expect the city's main train station to be. But the first railway from
Istanbul to Europe ran further south, then curved through the Maritsa
Valley, entered Karaağaç station, and then continued up the valley
toward Bulgaria. After the Treaty of Lausanne defined the river as the
border, trains (such as the Orient Express) had to enter Greece twice
while transiting between Turkey and Bulgaria. It wasn't until the 1970s
that a new track was laid, cutting this place off; In 1998 it became
part of the university. At the old train station there is a small
museum, a wooded park and sculpture garden, and a monument to the
treaty.
Lalapaşa dolmens. It is a stone passageway to graves, which
were originally all covered by a mound of earth. Dolmens in Thrace are
typically Late Bronze/Early Iron Age, 1400-900 BC. The dolmen is located
in the village center. There are others further northeast along this
road.
Hamam visit. Hamams are traditional Turkish baths that play an important role in Turkish culture and society. These bathhouses are not only used to cleanse the body, but also to relax, socially interact and promote health. The tradition of hammams dates back to the Ottoman Empire and continues to this day in Turkey and other parts of the world.
By plane
Istanbul Airport (IATA: IST) is the nearest Turkish
airport.
Alexandroupolis Airport (IATA: AXD), this Greek
provincial airport is closer than that of Istanbul.
By train
One regional train to Istanbul per day leaves Kapikule at the
Bulgarian border and stops at both train stations in Edirne. There
is also a night train from Bucharest and Sofia to Istanbul. More
information here: [Timetables].
1 Edirne Central Station
(Edirne Garı) is the main railway station, 4 km east of the city
center, close to the highway to Istanbul. International and regional
trains stop here.
2 Edirne Şehir Railway Station (Edirne Şehir
Tren İstasyonu) is located 1 km southwest of the center, on the edge
of the old town near the river bank. The regional trains stop here,
but not the international trains.
3 Kastanies Train Station
(σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός Καστανιών) just over the border with Greece
and 4 km southwest of Edirne. It is served by Greek TrainOSE trains
from Alexandroupolis to Dikaia. The journey takes just over two
hours. In February 2021, there was only a single train leaving
Alexandroupolis before 09:00 and returning from Kastaniés around
midday.
By bus
Buses depart from Istanbul Esenler Station
at least hourly, taking 2 to 4 hours non-stop. Metro Turizm is the
main operator. In normal times, buses run 24 hours a day, but in
early 2021 they will end between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Buses also
run from Canakkale to Edirne via the Gallipoli Peninsula, Keşan and
Uzunköprü. At the beginning of 2021 they will only run once a day,
operated by Isparta.
On the street
The city is located on
the main highways between Turkey and Europe, the toll-free D100 and
the toll highway O-3/E80. Istanbul is 224 km to the east, about a
two-hour drive.
All border crossings are open 24 hours. The
main border post is Kapikule (Turkey) / Kapitan Andreevo (Bulgaria),
15 km west of Edirne. Svilengrad, 8 km further, is the first
Bulgarian city that can be reached from there.
A smaller
border crossing is located near Pazarkule (Turkey) / Kastaniés
(Greece) 4 km southwest of the city and 40 km north on the D535 at
Hamzabeyli (Turkey) / Lesovo (Bulgaria).
The center is compact, fairly flat and easily walkable. The outskirts are a long walk away, but it's better to take a taxi or dolmus, at least in one direction.
Ottoman Covered Bazaars: There are several, two key examples being
Arasta next to the Selimiye Mosque (signposted “Çarşı Girişi”) and
Alipaşa, which runs parallel to Saraçlar Cd.
Margi Outlet Center
(Margi Edirne), 1. Murat, Talat Paşa Cd. No:22/a, 22100 Edirne
Merkez/Edirne, Turkey (Easily located on the D100). Tel.: +90 284 236 64
00, Email: info@margioutlet.com. Open: Daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Edirne's cuisine is known for its diversity and influence from
various cultures, as the city has been under Ottoman, Byzantine and
Roman rule throughout history.
Edirne Kızarması: This is a type
of fried sandwich often filled with beef, veal, or liver. It is usually
wrapped in thin bread and deep fried until crispy.
Ciğer Tava:
Ciğer Tava are fried pieces of liver often served with onions, peppers
and spices. This is a popular appetizer or side dish in Edirne cuisine.
Beyaz Peynir: This type of white cheese is popular throughout
Turkey, but Edirne is known for the quality of its Beyaz Peynir. It is
often served for breakfast with bread, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Edirne Kuzu Çevirme: This is grilled spit lamb traditionally grilled
over charcoal. It is usually served with bread and vegetables.
Tava Ciğer (Arnavut Ciğeri): This is another variation of fried liver,
often seasoned with paprika, onions and spices. It is usually served in
small pieces and can be enjoyed as an appetizer or snack.
Hamsili
Pilaf: This rice dish is prepared with fresh anchovies and often refined
with raisins, pine nuts and spices. It is a classic dish from the
region.
Trakya Tarator: Tarator is a type of yogurt dip made with
cucumbers, garlic, dill and walnuts. In Edirne, fish is also often added
to create a special variant called "Trakya Tarator".
Kestane
Şekeri: These candied chestnuts are a popular sweet in Edirne. The
chestnuts are cooked in sugar and then dried to create a sweet treat.
Baklava: While baklava can be found in many parts of Turkey, Edirne
is also known for its delicious baklava variations. This sweet pastry is
made from thin layers of dough, nuts and syrup.
Leman Kültür (Leman Edirne), 1. Murat, Zübeyde Hanım Cd. 1. Sokak no3, 22030 Edirne Merkez/Edirne, Türkiye. Tel.: +90 284 2256971. Food and culture in a very student environment at Trakya University. The Leman has an airy outdoor area and a pleasant indoor area. Menu online via https://lemankultur.com.tr/MENU/menu.pdf.
Rustempasa Kervansaray Hotel
The city was founded by the Roman Emperor Hadrian and named Hadrianopolis (English: Adrianople, /ˌeɪdriəˈnoʊpəl/; Greek: Ἁδριανούπολις). It was previously an ancient Thracian settlement called Uskudama. Its name in the Ottoman period was derived from the Greek name Edrine (ادرنه). Written as Adrianople in English, Edirne became the new internationally accepted name after the Turkish alphabet revolution in 1928.
It is a border city located on the highway connecting Turkey to Europe. Edirne was founded on the plain where the Tunca, Arda and Meriç rivers meet. Continental climate prevails. It is located next to Greece and Bulgaria. The city center is 7 km from Greece and 17 km from Bulgaria.
The first known settlers around Edirne were the Odris and Bettegeris
from the Thracian tribes. According to popular belief, an open city or
market place called Odris or Odrisia was founded by the Odriss at the
junction of the Meriç and Tunca rivers, where Edirne is located today.
Between 1400 and 1200 BC, the region was taken over by the Achaeans and
after this period, it became a "police". During the campaign of the
Achaemenid Emperor Darius I against the Scythians in the 510s BC, the
region came under Persian rule. The Odrysians, who declared their
independence under the reign of Teres I in 460 BC, became the rulers of
the region again. In 340 BC II. The settlement, which was captured by
the Macedonians under the reign of Philip, began to be known as Orestia
during this period. The region was later subjected to Celtic invasions.
Orestia, under Macedonian control, fell to the Romans in 168 BC. During
the eastern travel of the Roman Emperor Hadrian between 123-124 BC,
Orestia, whose name was changed to Hadrianapolis, was given city status.
Hadrianapolis, which remained under the control of the Byzantine Empire
after the Roman Empire was divided into two in 395, was subjected to
Goth, Hun, Pecheneg, Avar and Bulgarian attacks during this period.
The city was captured by the Bulgarian Khan Krum in 813, and with
the agreement made in 815 between the Byzantine Emperor Leon V of
Omurtag, who ascended the throne after Krum's death, thirty years of
peace was achieved between the two states, and the control of the city
was left to the Byzantine Empire.
Although the city was attacked
by Pechenegs and Cumans several times in the 1000s, it remained under
the control of the Byzantine Empire. While it was subjected to various
attacks during the Crusades, the Latins were defeated in the battle with
the Bulgarians in 1205 in the city, which came under the control of the
Latin Empire. After the collapse of the Latin Empire in 1261,
Hadrianapolis came under Bulgarian rule. According to different sources,
the city joined the Ottoman Empire in a period that varied between 1361
and 1371. The city, which changed its name to Edirne when it was
captured by the Turks and later became the capital of the Ottoman
Empire, partially lost its importance after Istanbul became the capital
in 1453, but remained one of the favorite places of the sultans and a
lively commercial and administrative center. The biggest blow to the
development of the city, which was shaken by fires and earthquakes in
the 18th century, was that the once-advantageous feature of being the
gateway to the Balkans turned into a disadvantage as the Ottoman Empire
began to decline. The city, which first experienced foreign occupation
during the Ottoman-Russian war of 1828-29, was occupied by the Russians
again in the War of 1893 (1877-1878).
According to the yearbook
dated 1892 written by Edirne Provincial Printing House Manager Şevket
Dağdeviren;
Edirne city is the center of Edirne Province, which
has 6 sanjaks, 21 districts, 97 townships, 1620 villages and a
population of 800,000, including the Edirne sanjak.
Edirne
District consists of three townships and the municipalities of Edirne
and Karaağaç. There are 85733 male and female population in 306
neighborhoods, 154 villages and 17132 houses in the district.
There are 53348 inhabitants in 10780 houses in Edirne city. In the city,
there are 157 mosques and masjids, 69 lodges and zawiyas, 35 madrasas
and libraries, 52 schools, prison, gendarmerie office, courthouse
telegraph office, sharia court, government mansion, military office, 4
military high schools, 1 civil high school, 1 male, 1 female. It has a
secondary school, a sample farm and an agricultural and industrial
school.
There are 3870 shops, 280 bakeries, 37 inns, 15 working
houses, 9 ruined baths, 134 mills, 7 flour mills, 5 printing houses, 568
rooms, 148 haylofts and warehouses, 19476 pieces of vineyards, 2315
gardens, 5228 fields, 278 meadows and 1657 plots of land. .
Apart
from these, 26 churches and monasteries, 13 synagogues, 5 barracks, 11
police stations, 239 fountains and public fountains, 5 soup kitchens, 1
reformatory, 5 hospitals, fire towers, 6 icehouses, 2 reji warehouses, 1
gas works, 15 tile and brick quarries, 87806 There are acres of arable
and uncultivable land.
In the district outside the city, 228
shops, 2 bakeries, 16 inns, 1 bath, 78 mills, 6 flour mills, 104
warehouses and haylofts, 54 farms, 6889 vineyards, 43962 fields, 131
gardens, 1230 meadows, 58 pastures, 16 forests, 448 land, 24 mosques, 2
lodges, 32 churches and monasteries, 20 brick and tile quarries, 29
fountains, 997074 decares of arable and non-arable land.
There
are 2315 well-kept vegetable, fruit and mulberry gardens around the
Meriç, Tunca and Arda rivers in Edirne. Apricots, plums, quinces,
mulberries, medlars and other fruits are abundant. There are 19476
pieces of vineyards in 37 places in Istanbul Yolu, Kıyık, Tekke Kapı,
Yeni İmaret and Yıldırım districts. 300 million kilos of wine and
4,600,000 kilos of raki are produced from grapes annually. Most of the
wine is exported to Europe.
It was occupied by the Bulgarians
during the Balkan War (1912-1913). The city, which was transferred to
Bulgaria with the peace agreement accepted after the First Balkan War,
joined Turkish territory again after the Second Balkan War, which broke
out before the ink of the agreement was even dry. Following the defeat
of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, Edirne was occupied by the Greeks
in July 1920; With the successful conclusion of the War of Independence,
it finally came under Turkish sovereignty on 25 November 1922
(Liberation of Edirne). The border of the province took its current form
when Karaağaç, which was taken back from Greece as war compensation by
the Treaty of Lausanne, joined Turkey on September 15, 1923. The
Lausanne Monument, built in memory of the treaty, is in the Karaağaç
neighborhood of the district.
Since it was once the capital of the Ottoman Empire, the city is
decorated with historical monuments such as inns, mosques, bazaars and
stone bridges.
Social complexes
II. Beyazıt Social Complex
Selimiye Complex
Mosques-Churches-Synagogues
Selimiye Mosque,
which Mimar Sinan called "my masterpiece", Üç Şerefeli Mosque and Eski
Mosque, and Dar-ül Hadis Mosque in Edirne constitute the most important
works of Edirne.
In the city, there are the Italian Catholic
Church located in Kaleiçi, which belongs to the Christian culture, the
Sv. (Святой) Georgi Bulgarian church located in Kıyık and the Sv. Georgi
Church located in Kirişhane. There is the Bulgarian Church of
Constantine-Elena. There is also the Edirne Great Synagogue in Kaleiçi,
which belongs to the city's Jewish minority. This is the largest
synagogue within the borders of Türkiye and the 3rd largest synagogue in
Europe.
Grand bazaars
It has three covered bazaars named
Selimiye Arastası, Bedesten and Alipaşa.
Edirne Palace
From
the palace used during the Ottoman period, there is no building left
from those times except the Justice Pavilion, which is the symbol of
justice today, with a sense of desire and a lesson in front of it.
Restoration work continues in the Kum Pavilion Bath, and works have been
completed in Matbah-ı Amire (Palace Kitchen), where restoration work has
begun, as of 2013. The palace kitchen will be turned into a museum.
Handicrafts
Edirne was one of the important centers of tile and
ceramic art during the Ottoman period. The tiles of the palaces and
important buildings in Edirne are the products of the city's artistic
tradition.
The handicraft style in Edirne is called "Edirnekâri"
(Edirne work). The handicrafts in Edirne have been appreciated for their
high quality since the time it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Today, this tradition continues in wood and carving; It manifests itself
with patterns made with paint on wooden materials such as chests and
cabinets. Lacquer container and box making, flower painting,
bookbinding, calligraphy (especially talik writing), wood carving and
tombstone making are other handicrafts in Edirne.
Today, broom
making continues to exist as a handicraft. Miso soap making, which has
become a touristic activity, is another traditional handicraft.