Modern-day architects such as Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry may be superstars of their profession, but neither is as prolific and revered as was the great Ottoman architect Mimar Koca Sinan (1497–1588). Sinan's best-known buildings adorn the İstanbul skyline and include the magnificent Süleymaniye Mosque, but many believe that his greatest achievement was this exquisite mosque, which is Edirne's major landmark.
Built between 1569 and 1575 by order of Sultan Selim II at the city's highest point, the mosque features four striking 71m-high minarets and was positioned in the centre of an extensive külliye (mosque complex) including a medrese (Islamic school of higher studies), darül Hadis (Hadith school) and arasta (arcade of shops). The main entrance is through the western courtyard, home to a lovely marble şadırvan (ablution fountain).
Inside, the broad, lofty dome – at 31.3m, marginally wider than that of İstanbul's Aya Sofya – is supported by eight unobtrusive pillars, arches and external buttresses, creating a surprisingly spacious interior. As they only bear a portion of the dome's weight, the walls are sound enough to hold dozens of windows, the light from which brings out the interior's colourful calligraphic decorations.
Unesco added the mosque and its külliye to its World Heritage list in 2011.
