Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

Original Ottoman architecture: Edirne's Mosque with Three Balconies

by DAILY SABAH WITH AA

EDIRNE May 12, 2021 - 11:57 am GMT+3
The interior of the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) is lit with a low-hanging chandelier, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)
The interior of the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) is lit with a low-hanging chandelier, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH WITH AA May 12, 2021 11:57 am
RECOMMENDED
Hollywood Vampires Joe Perry (L), Johnny Depp (C) and Alice Cooper. (Shutterstock Photo)

Istanbul concert alert: Johnny Depp, Hollywood Vampires set to rock

summer-cem

Turkey's northwestern province of Edirne is one of the few cities in Turkey where visitors can witness almost all six centuries of the Ottoman Empire through its unique architectural works. One of the most magnificent of these is the Üç Şerefeli Mosque, or the Mosque with Three Balconies, with its original structure and beautiful minarets.

The mosque, which is named after one of its unusual minarets that has three balconies, was built by the Ottoman sultan Murat II between the years 1433 and 1447.

An aerial view shows the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) and its surrounding area, including its famous minaret with three balconies that gives the mosque its name, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)
An aerial view shows the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) and its surrounding area, including its famous minaret with three balconies that gives the mosque its name, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)

It attracts the attention of visitors thanks to its courtyard filled with fountains and surrounded by porticos from four directions.

The authenticity of its doors, added to the fact that each minaret is adorned with different decorations, stand as some of the earliest, and most perfect, examples of Ottoman art and architecture.

Gülgün Yılmaz, associate professor at the Trakya University's department of art history and also the head of the department of Turkish-Islamic arts, said that the historic structure and its fountains with porticos was a source of inspiration for the famous 16th-century Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, whose works include Istanbul's famed Süleymaniye and Edirne's dazzling Selimiye mosques.

Yılmaz said that Mimar Sinan built the Beşiktaş Sinan Pasha Mosque in 1555 with the inspiration he drew from this very site. About 20 years later, he built Selimiye, his masterpiece, opposite the Üç Şerefeli Mosque, the magnificent dome of which had left quite an impression on Sinan, Yılmaz added.

One of the minarets of the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) can be seen above the mosque
The courtyard of the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) can be seen in Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)

Yılmaz noted that all four minarets belonged to different times. "The zigzaggy minaret was built together with the structure, the diamond-patterned minaret was built during the construction of the Peykler Madrasa in Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror's times," he explained. "Meanwhile, the grooved minaret was added under Sultan Ahmed I and the twisted minaret under Sultan Mustafa III."

Yılmaz pointed out that the mosque was famous for its historical doors as much as its uniquely shaped minarets. He said there were three gates to the courtyard of the mosque on the west, north and south sides.

The main entrance to the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) is decorated with patterns and calligraphic religious verses, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)
The main entrance to the Üç Şerefeli Mosque (the Mosque with Three Balconies) is decorated with patterns and calligraphic religious verses, Edirne, Turkey, May 11, 2021. (AA Photo)

"The doors of the mosque are uniquely beautiful. As the saying goes: 'The calligraphy of the Old Mosque, the door of the Üç Şerefeli, the structure of Selimiye ... ' The doors referred to in that saying are the elegant and spectacular western courtyard door and the main entrance door which opens to the sanctuary," Yılmaz said.

"The marble courtyard door evokes joy and liveliness with its columned corners and alternating red and white palmettes at its pointed arch. Meanwhile, the north and east gates are relatively simpler and plain."

Yılmaz noted that the most spectacular of all the gates was the main entrance to the mosque itself, which in addition to the Quran verses and Hadith plates that adorn it, preserves its magnificence six centuries later.

RECOMMENDED
Hollywood Vampires Joe Perry (L), Johnny Depp (C) and Alice Cooper. (Shutterstock Photo)

Istanbul concert alert: Johnny Depp, Hollywood Vampires set to rock

summer-cem
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: May 12, 2021 4:06 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    ottoman architecture ottoman art historical places mosques selİmİye mosque mİmar sİnan
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Women look at the window of a clothing shop with words saying "all at half price," in Ankara, Türkiye, Aug. 18, 2022.

    World Bank, OECD up 2023 growth forecasts for Turkish economy

    Turkish-economy
    An oil well is seen in the region of Gabar Mountain in Şırnak province, southeastern Türkiye, May 4, 2023. (IHA Photo)

    New discoveries help lift Türkiye's daily oil output to 32-year high

    energy-market

    Russian citizen dies in shark attack off Egypt's Red Sea coast

    shark-attack

    Hafize Gaye Erkan named Türkiye's new central bank governor

    Turkish-economy
    Interior of Haydarpaşa Station
    15 of the world’s most beautiful train stations
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021