Last updated on December 18, 2023.

Edirne has a very compact historic city center with lots to see. This entry covers sights in the historic core that aren’t mosques or museums.

 

Monuments

First of all, in the space in front of the Selimiye Mosque, there’s an “Edirne” sign and two monuments. They sit at a major intersection in the city center and the mosque acts as a beautiful backdrop.

Edirne sign and Mimar Sinan monument in Edirne, Turkey
Edirne sign and Mimar Sinan monument

The monument to the left depicts Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). He designed the Selimiye Mosque and other structures in Edirne as well as several more in Istanbul.

Mimar Sinan monument in Edirne, Turkey
Mimar Sinan monument
Mimar Sinan monument

The monument to the right depicts Mehmed the Conqueror on horseback flanked by two Ottoman cannons. He was born in Edirne and went on to conquer Constantinople in 1453.

Mehmed the Conqueror monument
Mehmed the Conqueror monument

 

Yemiş Kapanı Hanı

Between the monuments and the Selimiye Mosque is an archaeological site containing the foundations of Yemiş Kapanı Hanı. It was a fruit and vegetable market commissioned by Sultan Selim II and Mimar Sinan on March 17, 1573. Construction didn’t begin until October 19, 1588, under architects Davud Ağa (c. 1540-1599) and Hüseyin Çavuş.

Yemiş Kapanı Hanı archaeological site

The building had 100 rooms and covered a space measuring 4,000 square meters. It was destroyed during an earthquake on July 30, 1752, and collapsed in 1937. A park was built over the ruins in 1967.

Yemiş Kapanı Hanı archaeological site

Excavations were carried out between 2014 and 2016, revealing water channels built by Mimar Sinan in 1570 as well as a grave dating to the Roman period.

Yemiş Kapanı Hanı archaeological site in Edirne, Turkey
Yemiş Kapanı Hanı archaeological site
Yemiş Kapanı Hanı archaeological site

 

Bedesten

On the other side of the Old Mosque sits the Bedesten (Bedesten Çarşısı). Built in 1418 by Sultan Mehmed I, it’s the oldest covered market in Edirne. It served as a source of income for the maintenance of the Old Mosque.

Bedesten in Edirne, Turkey
Bedesten
Bedesten

The architect of the Bedesten was Mimar Alaeddin, who used red and white ashlar stone in its construction. There are two long corridors inside the building with a total of 36 rooms for merchants. More shops surround the outside of the building.

Bedesten in Edirne, Turkey
Bedesten
Bedesten

14 domes cover the Bedesten, arranged in two rows of seven domes. During Ottoman times, the most valuable goods available in the city were sold there. This included jewelry, carpets, and weapons. Other items from all corners of the empire were also available.

Bedesten in Edirne, Turkey
Bedesten

 

Tea Garden

Outside the northwest entrance of the Bedesten is a small tea garden with a pleasant setting. In the tea garden is a fountain with a statue of two wrestlers. Every year since 1360, Edirne has hosted the Kırkpınar oil wrestling tournament. Visitors walking to Edirne Palace can see the grounds where the tournament takes place.

Tea garden

 

Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai

The Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai (Rüstem Paşa Kervansarayı) is southeast of the Bedesten. It was built in 1561 by Rüstem Pasha (c. 1505-1561), a Grand Vizier under Süleyman the Magnificent. The architect was Mimar Sinan.

Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai in Edirne, Turkey
Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai

The Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai has two floors and consists of two sections – Big Han (Büyük Han) and Little Han (Küçük Han). There are 39 rooms on the first floor and 41 on the second floor. 21 shops line the front of the building.

Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai
Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai

Today, the Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai serves as a hotel. Of particular interest are the large doors opening to the courtyard. Ornamental chandeliers hang in front of them. A small park separates the Bedesten from the Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai.

Door
Door to Rüstem Pasha Caravanserai in Edirne, Turkey
Door
Park between the Bedesten and the caravanserai

 

Sokullu Mehmed Pasha Hamam

Across the street from the Mosque with Three Balconies is the Sokullu Mehmed Pasha Hamam (Sokullu Mehmed Paşa Hamamı). It’s a Turkish bath built between 1568 and 1569 by Sokullu Mehmed Pasha (1506-1579), a Grand Vizier under Sultans Süleyman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III.

Sokullu Mehmed Pasha Hamam in Edirne, Turkey
Sokullu Mehmed Pasha Hamam

The bath was designed by Mimar Sinan and is one of the largest of its kind in Turkey. It was meant to provide income for the maintenance of the Mosque with the Three Balconies. The façade was partially destroyed during road construction in the 1960s. The bath is still in service today, and there are separate entrances and bathing times for men and women.

 

Edirne Fortress

Tucked away behind a few buildings near the hamam, you’ll find the last surviving ruins of Edirne Fortress. The fortress was built by the Romans after the foundation of Hadrianopolis.

Edirne Fortress in Edirne, Turkey
Edirne Fortress

Edirne Fortress was demolished between 1866 and 1870. The stones were used to build a hospital, school, government buildings, and barracks. The ruins of a 10th century Byzantine church is mixed in with the ruins.

Edirne Fortress in Edirne, Turkey
Edirne Fortress

 

Macedonian Tower

Next to the ruins is the Macedonian Tower (Makedonya Kulesi). It was originally one of the four corner towers of Edirne Fortress. After the fortress was demolished, Ottoman governor Hacı İzzet Pasha (1798-1876) commissioned the construction of a wooden clock tower atop the bastion. A clock produced in France was added in 1886. The wooden tower burned down and the current tower was built out of stone in 1894. It was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1953 and later with dynamite by local authorities who believed it was an eyesore. There are plans to convert it to a museum.

Macedonian Tower in Edirne, Turkey
Macedonian Tower

 

Edirne Municipality Building

Back near the Edirne sign and two monuments is the historic Edirne Municipality Building (Edirne Belediye Binası). It was built between 1898 and 1900 by local engineer Nazif Akanlar, who also developed the plan for the Kaleiçi district.

Edirne Municipality Building in Edirne, Turkey
Edirne Municipality Building

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic, stayed in the building when he visited Edirne from December 21-25, 1930. It also hosted Sultan Mehmed V in 1910; King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria during Bulgarian occupation (1913); and King Alexander of Greece during Greek occupation (1920-1922).

 

Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha Fountain

Further down the street and directly across from the Selimiye Mosque is the Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha Fountain (Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa Çeşmesi). It was built in 1667 by Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1635-1683), nine years before he became Grand Vizier under Sultan Mehmed IV. It’s the largest fountain in Edirne.

Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha Fountain

The street in front of the fountain is full of a few touristy shops and cafés. It leads to the Edirne City Museum.

Street between the Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha Fountain and Edirne City Museum

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.