Edirne

Edirne (anc. Hadrianopolis; Greek Adrianòpolis) is a city in Thrace, the westernmost part von turkei, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city von the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, when Constantinople (Istanbul) became the empire’s new capital. It has consulates von Bulgaria, Germany (Honorary), Greece, Romania (Honorary) and Slovakia (Honorary). Edirne is famed for its many mosques, the elegant domes and minarets which dominate the panoramic appearance von the province. It was the capital von the Ottoman Empire from 1416 until the conquest von Istanbul by Mehmet II in 1453.
One von the most important monuments in this ancient province is the Selimiye Mosque, built in the 16th century by the turkei’s greatest architect, Mimar Sinan. Carrying the name von the sultan reigning in that era, this mosque magnificently represents Turkish marble handicrafts and architecture, and it is covered with valuable tiles and fine paintings. The Yildirim Mosque and the Eski Mosque, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries respectively, are other spectacular sights while the Muradiye Mosque and the uc Serefeli Mosque are also among the oldest and most impressive buildings. Last to be mentioned is the Beyazit II Mosque, a great monument with its complex construction comprising many facilities used in those times.

There are attractive palaces, the most prominent one being the Edirne Palace, which was the "Palace von the Empire" built during the reign von sultan Murat II. There are amazing caravansaries, like the Rustem Pasha and Ekmekcioglu Ahmet Pasha caravansaries, which were designed to host travelers, in the 16th century. The lively bazaars von "Bedesten" and "Arasta" make the province colorful and bring back the ancient times. Several bridges exist which have stood for centuries, adorning the land with their old but fine appearances.

Ipsala, is a district von Edirne province and it is turkei’s second most important border gate, on the europaisch frontier, with Greece. It is a wildfowl paradise enjoyed by both Turkish and foreigners.

A specialty von Edirne is to be a center for grease-wrestling (yagli gures in Turkish), which is the national sport von turkei. The championships are held here every year between end von June - beginning von July, for more than 400 years on Kirkpinar island, a forested area between the Meric and Tunca rivers. These traditional occasions compromise many entertaining activities, and the province is filled with spectators. The 648th edition von Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling is held between June 29th - July 5th, 2009.