{"id":36531,"date":"2022-09-12T17:23:01","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T14:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/one-city-three-days-edirne\/"},"modified":"2022-09-12T17:27:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T14:27:48","slug":"one-city-three-days-edirne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/one-city-three-days-edirne\/","title":{"rendered":"One city, three days: Edirne"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Let\u2019s go: History of Edirne <\/b><\/p><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\"Edirne\"
Edirne, T\u00fcrkiye.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the northern part of Eastern Thrace, Edirne was part of the Odrysian Kingdom \u2013 a union of around forty Thracian states \u2013 until about 46 A.D, when it fell to the Romans. The city was rebuilt and named Hadrianopolis, for the Roman emperor Hadrian. It came under Crusader rule, then Byzantine rule in the thirteenth century, and was conquered by the Ottomans in the fourteenth century, when it also became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Ceded to Greece after the First World War, Edirne became part of T\u00fcrkiye during the Turkish War of Independence. John Keegan, in his book A History of Warfare, described the city as \u201cthe most contested spot on the globe\u201d, due to its strategic location as the \u201cGate to the Ottoman Empire\u201d from the Balkans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Places to visit in Edirne<\/b><\/p><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Edirne is not a large city but there is much to see and do. We recommend visiting during the spring and summer; many of the city\u2019s prominent sites are easy to visit on foot. Keep reading to discover more about Edirne\u2019s main attractions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historical sites in Edirne<\/b><\/p><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Selimiye Mosque<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\"Selimiye
Masterpiece of famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, Selimiye Mosque.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The spectacular Selimiye Mosque, considered the masterwork of Mimar Sinan: The brilliant architect who built an era<\/a>, was erected at the city\u2019s highest point by order of the Ottoman sultan, Selim II. Built by Mimar Sinan when he was 80 years old, the 16th-century mosque is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features four minarets with three balconies and, in clear weather, is visible from S\u00fcleymaniye village in Uzunk\u00f6pr\u00fc and from the Rhodope Mountains.  in open weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R\u00fcstempa\u015fa Caravanserai<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The R\u00fcstempa\u015fa Caravanserai, a stellar example of classical Ottoman architecture, was also built by Mimar Sinan in the sixteenth century. The structure was commissioned by R\u00fcstem Pasha, the grand vizier and son-in-law of Suleyman the Magnificent. Featuring beautiful stone- and brickwork, the Caravanserai was an inn and a warehouse for camel caravans. It is located in the Edirne city center and now serves as a hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great Synagogue<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\"Great
Great Synagogue, Edirne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the Ottoman era, Edirne had a sizeable Jewish population. After the fire of 1905, many synagogues and other buildings were destroyed. Construction on the Moorish-style Great Synagogue began in 1906; when it opened in 1909, it was the largest synagogue in T\u00fcrkiye and Europe’s third largest. The structure was renovated in 2015 and is now open to visitors and worshippers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00dc\u00e7 \u015eerefeli Mosque<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Considered one of the first examples of the transition from Seljuk to Ottoman-style architecture, the tranquil 15th-century \u00dc\u00e7 \u015eerefeli Mosque features four minarets of varying heights; the tallest is 67 meters and has three balconies \u2013 thus, the mosque\u2019s name, \u201c\u00dc\u00e7 \u015eerefeli (Three Balconies).\u201d The complex also contains a cemetery, with graves dating to the seventeenth century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tunca Bridge and Meri\u00e7 Bridge <\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\"Meri\u00e7
Meri\u00e7 Bridge, one of the symbols of Edirne, located on the Meric River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Tunca and Meri\u00e7 bridges, located on the road from Edirne to Karaa\u011fa\u00e7, span the Tunca and Meri\u00e7 rivers, respectively. Built in the seventeenth century, the Tunca Bridge features granite stonework, and graceful arches; the 18th-century Meri\u00e7 Bridge, which is longer, has twelve arches. Tea gardens and parks on the bank of the Meri\u00e7 River offer lovely views of the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Pasha Bazaar<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Edirne has three bazaars, one of which, the 16th-century Ali Pasha Bazaar, is known as the Grand Bazaar. Built by Mimar Sinan, the bazaar was commissioned by Ali Pa\u015fa, the Grand Vizier. Located on Sara\u00e7lar Street in the city center, the long structure has a traditional arched ceiling and six gates. It was renovated in the 1990s and today features various shops selling traditional handicrafts and souvenirs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Museums in Edirne <\/b><\/p><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\"Edirne
Museum of Turkish & Islamic Works in Edirne.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts <\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Edirne\u2019s Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is in the Dar-\u00fcl Hadis Madrasa, which is on the grounds of the Selimiye Mosque Complex. Established in 1925, the Museum has fourteen halls, mainly featuring exhibits of glass and ceramic items, tiles, furniture, and Ottoman weapons. In addition, there are handwritten copies of the Koran and remnants of stone Ottoman-era structures. There\u2019s also a room dedicated to the K\u0131rkp\u0131nar Oil Wrestling Festival!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Complex of Sultan Bayezid II Health Museum<\/b><\/p><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Known as the Health Museum, this fascinating institution in the Sultan Bayezid II Mosque complex was once a functioning Ottoman-era hospital and medical school. It now presents T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s medical history in a series of lively dioramas. Opened in 1997, the Museum\u2019s exhibits include recreated rooms from the hospital and school, including the kitchen, patients\u2019 quarters, and rooms where Ottoman doctors utilized music and art therapy for patients with mental and psychiatric disorders. The Museum is the first and only one of its kind in T\u00fcrkiye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The home of leaf liver: Dining in Edirne<\/b><\/p><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\"Leaf
Edirne’s famous leaf liver.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve worked up an appetite walking around Edirne, then you\u2019re in luck. The city\u2019s cuisine, shaped by Ottoman and Balkan influences, is distinctive and delicious. The most famous dish in Edirne is \u201cleaf liver\u201d \u2013 paper-thin slices of crispy fried calf\u2019s liver. Even if liver is not your favorite dish, the Edirne version is worth a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, leaf liver is not the only local delicacy; other specialties include<\/p>\n\n\n\n