Selimiye Mosque, Edirne

De **Selimiye Mosque** (Turkish: *Selimiye Camii*) be an Ottoman imperial mosque, wey locate insyd de city of Edirne (formerly Adrianople), Turkey. Na ebe commissioned by Sultan Selim II wey na de imperial architect Mimar Sinan build am between 1568 den 1575. Na ebe considered by Sinan say e be ein masterpiece wey e be one of de highest achievements of Islamic architecture as a whole den Ottoman architecture for particular.

De mosque, togeda plus ein *külliye*, na dem include for UNESCO ein World Heritage List insyd 2011.

## History

### Construction
Na dem build de Selimiye Mosque for de peak of Ottoman military den cultural power. Sultan Selim II, de son den successor of Suleiman the Magnificent, choose Edirne instead of Istanbul (de Ottoman capital) as de location make dem build ein own sultanic mosque. De reasons for dis decision be a matter of debate among historians. Selim II appear he get a passion for de city, wey he serve as ein governor between 1548 den 1550, wey he visit am frequently after he cam turn sultan. Na Edirne, a former Ottoman capital, sanso be one of de most important cities insyd de empire den a major stop for de imperial highway between Istanbul den de Balkan provinces. Oda motivations fi include de fact dat der be no more prominent hilltop sites insyd Istanbul available for de construction of an imperial mosque complex – at least no be widout resorting to mass expropriations. For de time of de mosque ein commission, na Selim II sanso no command a victorious military campaign, wich na Islamic scholars of de time consider say e be a requirement for building a sultanic mosque insyd Istanbul.

Insyd March 1568, na Selim II biz Sinan make he renovate de city ein Old Mosque. Plans for a new imperial mosque, wey locate for de hilltop above de Old Mosque, na dem probably begin around de same time. Na dem begin construction for de mosque insyd 1568 anaa 1569 (976 AH) wey dem plete insyd 1574 anaa 1575 (982 AH). Na dem ultimately fund de mosque ein construction den ein *waqf* (charitable endowment) be plus de help of de sultan ein share of de spoils from de successful conquest of Cyprus, wich na dem plete insyd 1571 plus de surrender of Famagusta. Selim II die insyd December 1574, before na he be able make he see dem fully plete de mosque.

## History

### Later history
De mosque undergo ein first repairs by Sinan insyd 1584, after lightening cause damage. An earthquake insyd 1752 sanso cause minor damage. Insyd 1808 na dem restore sam of de calligraphic decoration insyd de mosque wey na dem add a roof was over de courtyard fountain, though e since disappear. During de reign of Abdülmecid I (1839–1861), na dem re-plaster de mosque ein interior wey dem redo ein decoration, insyd a style wey dey partially imitate de former ornamentation.

Insyd 1865, Baha'u'llah, de founder of de Baha'i Faith, arrive plus ein family to Edirne as a prisoner of de Ottoman Empire wey he reside insyd a house near Selimiye Mosque, wich he visit often til 1868. Na ebe for Selimiye mosque wer na he be supposed to have an open debate plus Mírzá Yaḥyá Núrí (dem sanso know am by de title of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal), an important event insyd de split of Bábism, wich ultimately result insyd de formation of de Baha'i Faith guide by Baha'u'llah den of Azalism guide by Mírzá Yaḥyá.

During de Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, na dem loot sam of de decorative tiles for de walls of de sultan ein loge wey dem transfer to Moscow. During de siege of de city insyd 1913, na dem damage de dome of de mosque by artillery fire. For de orders of Atatürk, na dem lef unrestore traces of de damage, as a reminder den warning to future generations. Soon after, for de end of de Second Balkan War, na dem steal sam of de mosque ein oldest carpets retreating Bulgarian troops.

Na de mosque undergo restorations between 1954 den 1971, wey na dem sanso restore sam parts between 1982 den 1984. Na dem depict de mosque for de reverse of de Turkish 10,000 lira banknotes of 1982-1995. Insyd late 2021 na dem begin anoda comprehensive restoration project for de mosque, dem schedule make dem plete am by 2025.

## Architecture

### De mosque
Dem widely regard de mosque as Sinan ein crowning masterpiece, wey Sinan einself regard am as ein best work. De main building dey consist of two equal parts: a rectangular courtyard den a rectangular prayer hall, each dey measure about .

#### Courtyard

File:Selimiye_Camii_-_Ανδριανούπολη_-_5172709878.jpg|alt=|De central (northwestern) entrance portal to de courtyard
File:Edirne_(15465898222).jpg|alt=|De *shadirvan* (fountain) of de courtyard
File:Courtyard_of_the_Selimiye_Mosque_3154.jpg|alt=|Windows plus lunettes of Iznik tiles around de courtyard
File:Courtyard_of_the_Selimiye_Mosque_3175.jpg|alt=|De decorative dome in front of de prayer hall entrance
File:Courtyard_of_the_Selimiye_Mosque_3172.jpg|alt=|*Muqarnas* sculpting of de entrance portal of de prayer hall


#### Prayer hall den main dome

File:Selimiye_Mosque,_Dome.jpg|alt=Interior view of the central dome|Closer view of central dome
File:Selimiye_Mosque_2.JPG|alt=|General view of de interior
File:Interior_of_Selimiye_Mosque_0087.jpg|alt=Selimiye Mosque interior|De upper-floor gallery
File:Nagymecset_-_Edirne,_2014.10.22_(11).JPG|alt=|Exterior view of de lower walls den porticos
File:Selimiye_Mosque_026.jpg|alt=|Exterior view of de upper walls den buttresses wey dey support de dome


##### Mihrab, religious furnishings, den decoration

File:Selimiye_Mosque_Mosque_0178.jpg|alt=Selimiye, tiles at mihrab|Iznik tiles next to de mihrab
File:Selimiye_minbar_DSCF3123.jpg|alt=|De minbar
File:Interior_of_Selimiye_Mosque_Hünkar_mahfili_070.jpg|alt=|De sultan ein loge (*hünkâr mahfili*)
File:Selimiye_Mosque_sultan's_balcony_DSCF5863.jpg|alt=|Iznik tile decoration around de mihrab of de sultan ein loge
File:2013-Turquia-Edirne-0019_(36521986654).jpg|alt=|De muezzin ein platform (*müezzin mahfili*)
File:Müezzin_mahfili_in_Selimiye_mosque_in_Edirne_3275.jpg|alt=|Painted decoration for de muezzin ein platform


#### Minarets

### Oda buildings of de complex

File:Selimiye_Mosque_025.jpg|View of de *arasta* (market) den primary school for de south side of de complex, plus de mosque behind
File:Nagymecset_-_Edirne,_2014.10.22_(6).JPG|alt=|Insyd de *arasta* (market)
File:Selimiye_complex_madrasa_DSCF5505.jpg|alt=|De *Dar'ül Kurra Medrese* (now de Selimiye Foundation Museum)
File:Selimiye_complex_madrasa_DSCF5598.jpg|alt=|Courtyard of de *Dar'ül Kurra Medrese*
File:Selimiye_complex_madrasa_DSCF5245.jpg|alt=|De *Dar-ül Hadis Medrese (*now de Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts insyd Edirne)
File:Selimiye_complex_madrasa_DSCF5318.jpg|alt=|De *dershane* (classroom) of de *Dar-ül Hadis Medrese*


## Influence for later mosques top

Na de design of de Selimiye Mosque influence de architecture of sam later mosques. De form of de Laleli Mosque insyd Istanbul, dem build insyd de 18th century insyd an otherwise Ottoman Baroque style, dey base for dat of de Selimiye Mosque. De modern Sabancı Merkez Mosque insyd Adana, dem plete insyd 1998, na dem model am in part for de Selimiye Mosque. De Nizamiye Mosque insyd South Africa be modeled for de Selimiye Mosque. Despite ebe 80% of de size of de Selimiye, de Nizamiye Mosque be de largest insyd de Southern hemisphere.

## References


### Bibliography

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## External links

* Selimiye Külliyesi, Archnet
* Pictures of Selimiye Mosque
* Photographs of the mosque by Dick Osseman