What is the purpose of the Selimiye Mosque?
Exterior. Selimiye Mosque was built at the peak of Ottoman military and cultural power. As the empire started to grow, the emperor sought to centralize Edirne. Sinan was asked to help to construct the Selimiye Mosque, making the mosque distinctive and serving the purpose of centralizing the city.
What was the reason for building Selim II mosque in the city of Edirne?
Edirne was first major city that traveling Europeans would pass in the Ottoman Empire. Selim built this mosque there to exemplify Ottoman Empire’s greatness. Mosque also was able to dominate the domestic landscape of Edirne, making it the defining place of the city.
What is the complex surrounding a mosque in Ottoman Turkey called?

– The Fatih mosque complex was a religious and social building of unprecedented size and complexity. – The Fatih mosque was the first monumental project in the Ottoman imperial architectural tradition. – The original complex included a set of well-planned buildings constructed around the mosque.
Is Edirne Turkey worth visiting?
All Of The Things To Do in Edirne Turkey With a population of roughly 165,000, this is a historic city in Turkey that is well worth visiting. See mosques that rival the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, eat authentic Ottoman cuisine, shop at a covered market, watch life fly by from a busy town square, and more.
What is the most ornate architectural feature inside the mosque?

The qibla wall is the wall in a mosque that faces Mecca. The mihrab is a niche in the qibla wall indicating the direction of Mecca; because of its importance, it is usually the most ornate part of a mosque, highly decorated and often embellished with inscriptions from the Qur’an (see image 4).
What is the Selimiye mosque made of?
Ashlar
Marble
Selimiye Mosque/Materials
The exterior is composed of ashlar (finely cut masonry) while important structures like the main portal are made of marble. Another inspiring feature of Selimiye is the decorations on the interior of the dome, a beautiful painted floral motif that was restored between 1982-1984.
Why is the mosque of Selim II different?
Selimiye complex was located in Edirne rather than the capital, Istanbul. It was built by the Sultan Selim II, the son of Süleyman the Magnificent, between 1568 and 1574. Edirne was selected not only because of Selim II’s fondness of the city, but also for its historical and geographic significance. …
What is a hypostyle mosque?
The hypostyle mosque. It is a large, rectangular stone mosque with a hypostyle (supported by columns) hall and a large inner sahn (courtyard). The three-tiered minaret is in a style known as the Syrian bell-tower, and may have originally been based on the form of ancient Roman lighthouses.
What is Edirne known for?
Situated 7 km (4.3 mi) from the Greek and 20 km (12 mi) from the Bulgarian borders, Edirne is famed for its many mosques, domes and minarets. The Selimiye Mosque, built in 1575 and designed by Turkey’s greatest master architect, Mimar Sinan (c. 1489/1490–1588), is one of the most important monuments in the city.
How do I get from Istanbul to Edirne?
It takes approximately 4h 58m to get from Istanbul to Edirne, including transfers. Train or bus from Istanbul to Edirne? The best way to get from Istanbul to Edirne is to bus which takes 4h 58m and costs 40 ₺ – 70 ₺. Alternatively, you can train, which costs 24 ₺ – 30 ₺ and takes 5h 49m.
What is inside masjid?
Mosque buildings typically contain an ornamental niche (mihrab) set into the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca (qiblah), ablution facilities and minarets from which calls to prayer are issued.