Edirne (Greek: Αδριανούπολη, Bulgarian: Одрин) is a city in Thrace, the westernmost part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. The city was known in English until after the First World War as Adrianople (see below, and also List of traditional Greek place names). Edirne is the capital of Edirne Province and its estimated population in 2002 was 128,400, up from 119,298 in 2000.
The city was founded eponymously by the Roman Emperor Hadrian on the site of a previous Thracian settlement known as Uskadama, Uskudama or Uskodama. Conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1362, the city served as the Ottoman capital from 1365 until 1453.
The Selimiye Mosque, built by Sultan Selim II in 1575 and designed by Ottoman master architect Sinan, has the highest minarets in Turkey, at 70.9 meters.
The area around Edirne has been the site of no fewer than 15 major battles or sieges, from the days of the ancient Greeks. In particular, the catastrophic defeat of the Roman Emperor Valens by the Visigoths took place nearby, and the city was a vital fortress defending Ottoman Constantinople and Eastern Thrace during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13. The city was, however, occupied by the Russians in 1829 and 1878, by the Bulgarians in the 1910s and by the Greeks in the early 1920s.
Edirne is famous for its "liver in oil", white cheese and "fruit shaped soaps". Also in every June, there is an oil-wrestling festival called Kırkpınar. Kırkpınar is the oldest sport organization after the Olympic Games.
The city initially took its name after its founder, and the usage remains current in Greek, though it has fallen into desuetude in English and other languages. The Turks, however, have commonly used Edirne (now the official and customary name) or Edreneh, and the Slavs Odrin or Jedrene; all of these are probably adapted forms of the name Hadrian.
Cultural Partnership with Europe
Edirne is a gateway of Turkey opening to western world, the first stopover for newcomers from Europe. Situated on the Greek (7 km) and Bulgarian (20 km) borders, this beautiful city is famed for its many mosques, the elegant domes and minarets, which dominate the panoramic appearance of the province.
One of the most important monuments in this ancient province is the Selimiye Mosque, built in the 16th-century by Turkey's greatest architect, Mimar Sinan. Carrying the name of the then reigning the Sultan, this mosque magnificently represents Turkish marble handicrafts and it is covered with valuable tiles and fine paintings. Besides, to be mentioned is the Trakya University Sultan Bayezid II Complex and Health Care Museum, a great monument with its complex construction comprising many facilities used in those times.
Besides the fascinating mosques, there are different sites to be visited in Edirne, all reflecting its rich past. There are attractive palaces, the most prominent one being the Edirne Palace, which was the "Palace of the Empire" built during the reign of Murat II. There are the amazing caravansaries, like the Rustem Pasha and Ekmekcioglu Ahmet Pasha caravansaries, which were designed to host travelers, in the 16th century.
A cultural partnership with Loerrach Germany have been started in 2006. The target - the exchange of pupils and students to train their cultural ability and understanding.
Education
See also
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