Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex

World Heritage

turkey

🎧 Listen to Introduction

The square mosque, with a large dome and four slender minarets, is the focal point of the skyline of Edirne, the former Ottoman capital. Sinan, the most famous Ottoman architect of the 16th century, considered the complex his finest work, which includes a madrasah, covered market, clock tower, outer courtyard and library. The interior decoration used Iznik tiles at the height of their powers, proving that the art form remains unrivalled today with this material. The complex is considered the most harmonious expression of the Ottoman külliye, a group of buildings built around a mosque and administered as a single institution.