Selimiye Mosque / Selimiye Camii (Edirne - Turkey)
N 41° 40.673 E 026° 33.561
35T E 463322 N 4614106
Selimiye Mosque (Selimiye Camii), the key architectonic and historic monument of town Edirne, is probably also the most beautiful mosque in Turkey and one of the world-best pieces of islamic architecture...
Waymark Code: WMERPC
Location: Türkiye
Date Posted: 07/02/2012
Views: 7
Selimiye Mosque (Selimiye Camii), the key architectonic and historic monument of town Edirne, is probably also the most beautiful mosque in Turkey and one of the world-best pieces of islamic architecture.
The Selimiye Mosque, located in the old centre of historic Ottoman capital Edirne, was specially built for Sultan Selim II by the greatest Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan between 1569-1575. The Selimiye Mosque is considered as a masterpiece and the highest achievement of Mimar Sinan in Islamic architecture. This majestic mosque stands at the heart of a Kulliye - a multiplex of a hospital, library, and school around a mosque. The Kulliye comprises of a medrese (Islamic academy that teaches both Islamic and Scientific lessons), an Al-Hadith School, a row of shops and the timekeeper's quarter. Sinan make used of an octagonal supporting system for this mosque that is built through eight pillars cut into a square shell of walls. The single mosque great dome has a diameter of 31.5 m over a prayer space of 45 m × 36 m, and with its four soaring minarets it dominates the Edirne's city skyline.
Part of the Selimiye's striking effect comes from its four 71m-high minarets, which Sinan fluted to emphasise their height. Each tower also has three serefes (balconies), Sinan's respectful nod, perhaps, to his predecessor, the architect of the Üç Serefeli Cami.
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex were inscripted into UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011.