Selimiye Mosque

The restoration process of the Selimiye Mosque, a historical mosque in Edirne built by chief Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, that started nine months ago, will continue for at least three-and-a-half years, the Tourism Commission of the provincial general assembly has stated.

The 40-month restoration process has begun in the 446-year-old Selimiye Mosque, one of the masterpieces of Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect, in the northwestern province of Edirne, the provincial directorate for foundations has announced.

"The illuminated minarets [of the mosque] will be seen by the Greek side," Osman Güneren told İhlas News Agency on Nov. 30.

A group of television producers from the United States will bring to the screen the lives of Jews who were welcomed by the Ottoman Empire following their expulsion from Spain in the 14th century.

Only hours before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, mahyas were hung in significant mosques of Turkey's northwest cities such as Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa, which once served as Ottoman capitals.

Turkey's General Directorate of Foundations continued the hundreds of year old tradition of hanging mahyas to significant mosques this year as well.

An aerial view of northwestern Edirne province shows fog drifting around the famous Selimiye Mosque. (AA Photo)

As Turkish nationals crawl out of weeks of stay-at-home orders amid the country's normalization phase, mass prayers in mosques across Turkey will begin with the Friday prayer that will be held on May 28.

The country's iconic mosques are about to complete their final preparations for mass prayers that will begin after a two-and-a-half-month break.

An aerial view of northwestern Edirne province shows clouds and fog drifting around the famous Selimiye Mosque, on Oct. 2.

Edirne is just three kilometers away from Greece and 17 kilometers away from the Bulgarian border. That explains why on our first dinner during our three-day visit to the city, the repertoire of the lovely singer on stage was like a Balkan musical mosaic.

Excavations in the northwestern province of Edirne have unearthed a waterway that the famous Ottoman architect Sinan constructed to ensure access to clean water for the former imperial capital.

Clean water that came to an inn near one of the architect's masterpieces, Selimiye Mosque, was distributed to other mosques and neighborhoods through a water tank in the square.  

Convicts have been used to work on the excavations of the Yemi?çi Kapan? Ottoman Inn, which is located in the garden of the iconic Selimiye Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.