Home

Edirne

Edirne, historically known as Adrianople, is a city in the northwestern corner of Turkey and the administrative seat of Edirne Province. It lies in the historic region of Thrace near the Meriç (Maritsa) River and close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. The city has ancient origins and became the Ottoman Empire’s second capital in 1369, a status it retained until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

Edirne is renowned for its monuments and architectural heritage. The Selimiye Mosque, completed in 1575 by

Culturally and economically, Edirne functions as a regional hub. The city hosts the Kırkpınar oil wrestling

As the seat of Edirne Province, the city is connected by road and rail to Istanbul and

Mimar
Sinan,
is
a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site
and
one
of
the
high
points
of
Ottoman
architecture.
Other
significant
mosques
include
the
Eski
Cami
(Old
Mosque,
begun
in
the
early
15th
century)
and
the
Uç
Şerefeli
Mosque.
The
historic
center
preserves
sections
of
the
city
walls
and
the
remains
of
the
imperial
palace
complex
along
the
rivers
Meriç
and
Tunca.
festival,
one
of
the
world’s
oldest
sporting
events,
traditionally
held
each
summer.
The
economy
centers
on
agriculture,
cross-border
trade
with
neighboring
Greece
and
Bulgaria,
and
public
services.
Edirne
is
also
known
for
regional
cuisine,
especially
tava
ciğeri
(fried
liver).
Trakya
University
operates
in
the
city,
contributing
to
education
and
research.
other
Turkish
cities
and
serves
as
a
gateway
for
cross-border
traffic
in
Thrace.
Its
population
is
in
the
low
hundreds
of
thousands,
reflecting
its
role
as
a
historic
and
cultural
link
between
Europe
and
Anatolia.