One of the most prominent architectural masterpieces of Islamic culture is the Selimiye Mosque. This temple complex includes schools, libraries, hospitals, baths, madrasas hour room and several shops. The building was built in the years 1568-1574 by the famous architect Sinan, who thought the mosque of his best work. When built this architectural masterpiece of architect was about 90 years old.

Mimar (which means "builder") Sinan is one of the most famous architects of the Muslim world, whose name is linked to an unprecedented flowering of the architecture of the Ottoman Empire .  He designed more than three hundred buildings, architectural ensembles and religious buildings constructed on the territory of Turkey, Syria, Bosnia, Crimea .  Sinan was born in the village of Asia Minor and in his youth was hit by conscription .  Future architect was sent to Istanbul and became the Janissaries (the Sultan's personal guard, typing is Muslim) .  In one of the campaigns of Suleiman the Magnificent in Moldova, Sinan supervised the construction of the bridge over the River Prut .  The bridge was built in thirteen days and really liked the Sultan .  After that Sinan was the chief imperial architect and remained in that position for about fifty years .  As a military engineer he built bridges and underground storage, as an architect - palaces, mosques, public baths and caravanserais .  The most interesting works were erected to them in the second half of life .

Selimiye Mosque was built by order of Selim, son of Sultan Suleyman and his wife Roksolana. Unlike their parents, Selim was not attractive in appearance - a fat, short, red puffy face. He did not have the talents of a statesman or warrior. Selim was lazy, very dissolved and indifferent to everything except their own pleasures. Love Alcohol was the strongest of his passion. All the affairs of state, he entrusted the Grand Vizier Sokollu. It should be noted that the least prominent of the Ottoman Sultans himself wrote poems in imitation of the Persian authors. Death overtook the sultan in the bath when he was alone drinking a bottle of wine, he slipped and fell, hitting his head on the marble slabs.

During the construction of the Selimiye Mosque, Sinan created a unique octagonal arch support system, which consists of eight columns reliable. Octahedron will make them not so massive, and, pushing against the wall, clear the central space of the mosque. Small semi-dome, which alternate with piers, almost invisible from the outside. The facade is very clearly seen eight buttresses that give the circular form of the whole structure. At the first examination, you can not see the rectangular layout of the mosque, which is masked by original architectural solutions.

In the center of the mosque is a magnificent fountain, covered with interesting carved roof, quite rare for those times of worship. Four minarets height of about eighty meters, installed at the corners of the mosque. They are almost twice as high central dome and is the world's second highest after the minarets of Mecca. Inside the mosque are beautiful and isolated from each other by spiral staircases, which you can climb to the balconies (there are three on each of the minaret).

The light in the room enters the mosque through 24 windows, located in the arches. Interior design artfully decorated with purple marble, wood carving and calligraphy. The prayer hall of six marble columns are five domes. In addition, it is decorated with stained glass windows and carved marble. The decoration of the courtyard used edirneysky soft red sandstone. Around the mihrab and sultan's gallery to the left of it are wonderful iznikskie tiles.

Selimiye Mosque, built of hewn stone, is on a small hill. Surrounded by four high on the sky minarets it dominates all the city facilities and perfectly visible from anywhere. Entrance to the mosque is allowed for non-Muslims. The Selimiye Mosque is one of the main attractions not only the city of Edirne, but the whole of Turkey. Not long ago, the construction was honored to get to the UNESCO World Heritage List.