Gaieties in Edirne : In the fifteenth century, Edirne was the generally the festival city of the Ottoman Empire. All festivals celebrated by Murat II and his son Mehmet the Conqueror were made in Edirne.
AREA: 6.276 km² POPULATION: 40.599 (1990) TRAFFIC CODE: 22
SITES OF INTEREST: Koru Mountain and Sögütlük forest recreation areas, Sarayiçi, Erikli beach, Edirne and Enez castles, Khrysopege Church, Peykler Medresesi (old theological school), Saatli Medrese (old theological school), Saray-i Cedid, (New Palace), II. Bayezid and Sokullu or Kasim Pasha complexes, Yildirim Bayezid, Eski Beylerbeyi, Gazi Mihal, Mezit Bey (Yesilce), Muradiye, Sah Melek, Üç Serefeli and Selimiye mosques, Bazaar, Ali Pasha Shops and Arasta, Rüstem Pasha Inn (caravansary) and Ekmekçioglu Ahmed Pasha Inn also called Ayse Kadin, Küçük Rüstem Pasha Inn, Gazi Mihal, Saraçhane (Sehabeddin Pasha), Fatih, Bayezid, Yalniz Göz, Saray (Kanuni), Tunca, Meriç bridges, Uzunköprü, Edirne Archeology and Ethnography and Edirne Turkish Islamic Works Museums.
Selimiye Mosque
CULTURAL DETAILS OF EDIRNE
Gaieties in Edirne : In the fifteenth century, Edirne was the generally the festival city of the Ottoman Empire. All festivals celebrated by Murat II and his son Mehmet the Conqueror were made in Edirne. Yet, since the XVIth century all the festivals were celebrated in Istanbul other than the great festival inaugurated by Mehmet IV at Edirne in 1675.
Even if it was in a small scale, the first festival at Edirne was commemorated in the year 1442, in order to celebrate the capture and execution of “Düzmece Mustafa” by Murat II. Feasts and entertainments were organized in this festival. Another festival was organized in 1439. Murat II commemorated the circumcision party of the princes Mehmet and Alâaddin Ali after his victories in battle and subsequent capture of the Semendire Tower. Many important persons from the East and West were called to this festival. Various scientists and poets participated in these festivals where shows and entertainments were organized. In the same festival, the Sultan inaugurated the engagement ceremony of one of the sons and one of the daughters of the brother-in-laws of Isfendiyaroglu Ismail Bey. The same Sultan, organized another festival as a celebration of a religious holiday in 1444. In this festival which lasted for three days and three nights, such sporting events as horsemanship and archery were held.
The longest festival commemorated by Murat II, was heldin 1450, on the occasion of the wedding of prince Mehmet (Known later as Mehmet the Conqueror) with Sitti Hatun. As far as we know, it was the last festival organized by Murat II. This event, known as the longest wedding ceremony in the history of the Ottoman Empire lasted for three months. When “Çandarli Halil Pasa” mentioned one of the daughters of “Dülkadiroglu Süleyman Bey”, the beautiful daughter of this Bey of Elbistan, Sitti Hatun was immediately selected. Besides the feasts and entertainments in this festival, literary meetings were made, poems were read, folklore shows were organized and “Those learned ones and the poor who came, became enlightened and rich”.
CULTUREL DETAILS OF EDIRNE
Selimiye Mosque
Sultan Selim II is known as a ruler “addicted to drink and weak in respect to knowledge and value.” This sultan that didn’t participa in any campaign during his reign of 8 years and was named “Yellow” and “Drunk”. But it is known that Cyprus Island (1570) and Tunis (1574) was conquered in this rule.; and that this Sultan who was writing poems under the name of “Selimi” had possessed a Council of State. Selim II who gave up drinking by a sudden decision in 1574, ordered a “külliye” (i.e a collection of buildings of an institution, usually composed of schools, a mosque, lunatic asylum, hospital, kitchen etc.) to be built by Mimar Sinan for the pilgrimage convoys to stay in the Karapinar district of Konya, and he appointed Mimar Sinan to build the Edirne Selimiye Mosque. The documents published, shows that he dealt closely with “the choosing of the building place, the preparing of the materials needed for the building, the transportation of these from the regions far away from the working area and the appointment of the labourers Mimar Sinan went to Edirne to determine the place of the mosque that was to be built, on the order of Selim II and flat ground which is the highest place of Edirne and which was named as Saribayir or Kavak Meydani was chosen as the building area. The documents show that the sultanwas closely interested with the construction, the choice, production and transportation of the material and that he warned the “Kadi” of Iznik when the building was late.
