Selimiye Mosque and Social Complex in Edirne, which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire before Istanbul, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011.
Selimiye Mosque, a unique structure with its four elegant minarets and magnificent dome, which can be seen in all its magnificence from anywhere in Edirne, is the work of Mimar Sinan, one of the famous architects of world history. The construction of the mosque, which started in 1568 by the order of Selim II, took seven years with the intense work of thousands of people and was completed in 1575. Mimar Sinan also described the mosque, which is considered the most important work of Ottoman architecture, as “my masterwork”.
The minarets, each with three balconies, located at the four corners of the Selimiye Mosque, which first attracted attention with its monumental appearance, are among the most magnificent examples in the world. The length of the minarets of the mosque was measured as 85.67 meters, including their finials. The striking aspects of the minarets in terms of architecture are that they are designed in the thinnest way possible and that each of them has three staircases that reach separate balconies without overlapping each other.
Its dome, which is admirable with its external appearance but whose magnificence is felt only when you enter the mosque, is the most magnificent example of its period with a height of 42.30 meters and a diameter of 31.30 meters.