Selimiye cami was built by Sinan the Architect when he was 80 years old. As much as Ottoman-turkish architecture history Selimiye accepted as one of the leading masterpiece in the world’s architecture history.

Why Selimiye mosque built to Edirne instead of Istanbul ?

Turkish population which was transferred from anatolia to Rumelia scattered all around balcanian land though Edirne was the border and center of most  Turkized land. As  Edirne became the capital town of the Ottoman empire and used as the military base for the Western journeys. A monumental structure would be build in Edirne would eternally prove the presense of  Ottomans and turks in the district. As a matter of fact Russians, Bulgarians and greeks didn’t dare to demolish the Selimi mosque during the invasions in 19th and 20th century . This is the biggest prove of Edirne is a Turkish city.

Dome  is a symbol representing the universe in architecture. All religions prefer domes in religious structures. Domes especially and mostly used in Italian architecture but architects built those structures embrace a different  way than Mimar Sinan the Architect. Many of the cathedrals used external domes as a mask disguising the  inadequate shape of the internal domes. Mimar sinan used  one dome which both covers and designates the external skeleton of the structure.  Internal and external structure perceived as a whole.

Muhammed Adil Shah`s monumental tomb in India has the biggest dome of the world with 44 mt diameter though lights very poorly arranged this arrangement gives you a very poor and ordinary impression.

Panteon Cathedral in rome is a gross though cylindirical shape of structure leaves a monotonous effect on visitors.

Selimiye mosque differs from all other wide domed structures with its light arrangement , height minarets and uniqe dome.The amalgamation of the main hall forms a fused octagon with the dome-covered square. Formed by eight massive dome supports.

Masterpieces in the Mosque ,

As much as the external architecture of the mosque interal ottoman arts have reached the peak points. mimbar (pulpit beside the mihrab reached by a long, straight flight of steps) built by marble is a masterpiece with the delicacy of the handmade works , size and height surpasses the of any such kind. mihrab (niche in a mosque wall indicating the direction of Mecca) walls , all windows at the bottom decorated with shiny ceramics. Colours and compositions of ceramics used on the walls of mihrab is counted as one of the masterpiece in Worlds ceramic art.

Hunkar  Mahfili ( screened and elevated loge in a mosque )  decorated with glamorous ceramics has a splendid view.A decoration on here descripted as 2 apple trees produced fruits is a original decoration style in ottoman ceramics.