This mosque was commissioned by Sultan Selim II and was built by Architect Sinan between the dates 1568-1574. This grand mosque stands at the centre of a kulliya which comprises a medrese, a dar-ul hadis, a timekeeper's room and an arasta (row of shops). In this mosque Sinan employed an octagonal supporting system that is created through eight pillars incised in a square shell of walls. The four semidomes at the corners of the square behind the arches that spring from the pillars, are intermediary sections between the huge encompassing dome and the walls. These pillars are related to the back walls through supporting arches that provide an ambulatory space in front of the encircling walls. This octagonal disposition of the supporting system and absid-like mihrab section recall the Church of Sergius and Bacchus in Istanbul. But the galleries of this church behind the pillars that create a second floor and the entrance mass (narthexes) are eliminated in Sinan's structure. Hence, the interior of the Selimiye contains a more illuminated and ample space. On the other hand, the absid is retained, for a mihrab placed on a shallow southern wall would prevent the fluidity of the ambulatory space encircling the breathtaking central hall below the dome.


The original decoration is recently restored, but gives an idea of Sinan's artful decorative style. Except the dome, the surfaces of the walls and arches are very plainly painted in light red in order to mark the contours of the basic architectural froms. Glazed tiles cover the mihrab section and the false arches above the windows of the substructure. They are very carefully applied to counterpoise the empy walls below and coloured arches and dome above. The most conspicious element inside the mosque is the respondent's platform (muezzin mahfili) at the centre of the zulla (prayer hall). It is a loggia like wooden piece lifted by columns. At the north-western corner, a bulky truncated pillar is placed in order to mask the staircase leading to the podium. This small pillar brings a module to the prodigious scaling of the building. On the outside, there are four minarets ingenously placed on the four corners of the main prayer hall. Hence the weight of the enclosing dome is balanced with the vertical extension of these slender towers. The conical caps of the turrets springing from the pillars also contributes to this equilibrium. As customary in Sinan's structures, the elements of the supporting and covering systems are exposed on the outside. The semidomes, pillars, ambulatory space and mihrab can all be perceived from outside. This masterpiece of the world architecture is a real synthesis of the building traditions that flourished in Anatolia. Most prominant of all are Late Roman (Early Byzantine) and Early Turkish elements. Sinan was a real mental giant who had the power of seeing as well as talent of interpreting this Anatolian inheritance, unique in the world.


http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/32/mustafakizilselimiye0118tr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/4015/mustafakizilselimiye0315nj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_02.jpg

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_04.jpg

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_05.jpg

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_06.jpg

http://www.trakya.edu.tr/mustafa/fotograflar/selimiye/selimiye_07.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/6217/osmankselimiye2eo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1391/osmankselimiyeic4iy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8148/osmankselimiyeic26gx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye1.jpg http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye8.jpg

http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye12.jpg http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye15.jpg

http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye13.jpg http://www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwissch/ozgurey/edirne/selimiye14.jpg

It was built in Edirne during 1568-1575 by architect Mimar Sinan upon the orders of Sultan Selim II. Mimar Sinan has referred to this mosque as his masterpiece. It has 4 minarets, each with three galleries, and 71 m high. Three separate staircases lead up to the galleries. The dome is 31.28 m in diameter and its height from the floor is 43.28 m. It rests on eight pillars. The mosque is famous for its pulpit and tilings. During the Russian invasion of Edirne in 1878, some of the tiles were taken to Russia.

9.5/10

9/10
This building has the best minaret I have seen until now! :eek:

amazingly awesome.
just great
and thanks for opening the thread :okay:
10/10

Excellent Mosque! :yes:
:cheers1:

Final Vote - 10/10 :)

very nice 10/10!

apparently its not just Istanbul with the huge domes. i suppose thats why its an ottoman symbol... of the huge domed mosques towering above the cities. Very amazing.

Edirne Mosque is said to be the "Finest Ottoman Architecture", even better than the famous Blue (Sultanahmet) Mosque or Süleymaniye Mosque.

The calculations made by Sinan respesents the limits for the largest dome on top of a rectangular walls/columns.

PS: For your information Sultanahmet/Blue Mosque in Istanbul is made by the student of Sinan, Mehmed Aga, not by Sinan himself.

9/10
This building has the best minaret I have seen until now! :eek:

It's the highest minaret of Turkey with 71 m. They say its silhouette is seenable from kilometers away from the city. Edirne was the last capital of Ottoman's capital before Istanbul. It contains lots of historic structures. It is one of the most preserved cities in the country.

10/10 from me

10/10

Sinans master piece

System_Halted

no, the minarets of the Adana Sabanci Merekz Mosque (99m) abd the Ankara Kocatepe Mosque (88m) are bigger

Dome:
43,3 m high and has a diameter of 31,28 m.

Minarets are 84 m high

9/10

10 for this masterpiece!

no, the minarets of the Adana Sabanci Merekz Mosque (99m) abd the Ankara Kocatepe Mosque (88m) are bigger

Dome:
43,3 m high and has a diameter of 31,28 m.

Minarets are 84 m high

My numbers are from official Tourism site of Turkey http://www.kulturturizm.gov.tr/portal/arkeoloji_en.asp?belgeno=1749. It says 71 m.

Minarets of Adana S.M. and Ankara K.M might be higher, ah those new mosques :no:

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9/10.

9/10

10/10

9/10 from me!

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5664/sukruselimiye25yh.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7764/sukruselimiye116dn.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/4784/sukruselimiye145eo.jpg

http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/5186/sukruselimiye157fh.jpg

10/10

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9.5/10 ;)

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10/10

10/10. Majestic and Impressive. :eek2:

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10/10

10/10

Simply gorgeous. 10/10

This mosque is considered the climax of Ottoman architecture. More notable than the exterior, the interior is considered the finest domed space of traditional Islamic architecture.

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:eek:

This mosque is considered the climax of Ottoman architecture. More notable than the exterior, the interior is considered the finest domed space of traditional Islamic architecture.

Yes, because it was one of the latest mosques by the great Architect Sinan.
And he called this toer his masterpiece

the tiles :drool: 10/10

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my fave 10!

09

9,5/10

10/10

10. Excellent. Regards.

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I have been there, and it is amazing architecture!

this is from Sinan architect, seldom referred as the Michelangelo of arab world! Well, to me, for its gorgeous and delicate proportions and its grandiose dimensions, 10/10! ;)

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Beautiful typical Byzantine dome 9/10 :)

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7.5/10