The historic Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, northwestern Türkiye, reopened following the completion of an extensive four-year restoration project, marking a major milestone in the preservation of one of the most important monuments of Ottoman architecture.
Built by the famed Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan between 1568 and 1575 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mosque has undergone comprehensive conservation work aimed at safeguarding the structure for future generations while maintaining its original character.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the official reopening ceremony on Friday after performing the weekly Friday prayer at the Selimiye Mosque. The project, which began in late 2021 under the supervision of experts and the General Directorate of Foundations, included work on the mosque's dome, minarets, stonework, calligraphy, decorative elements and surrounding complex.
Speaking at the ceremony, Erdoğan said the restoration had reinforced every part of the mosque while preserving a cannonball scar left on the structure during the Balkan Wars by Bulgarian forces. The mark was intentionally retained as a reminder of the struggles fought on the region's soil, he said.
Erdoğan added that the nearly TL 450 million ($9.73 million) restoration project would help preserve Mimar Sinan's masterpiece for another 1,100 years.
Erdoğan also announced that work had begun to revive the historic Edirne Palace, which was destroyed during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and later fell into neglect. Describing it as Europe's largest restoration and reconstruction project, he said the palace and its gardens are expected to reopen by the end of 2027, helping restore Edirne's historical character and tourism appeal.
The president said the government remained committed to protecting Türkiye's historical and architectural heritage despite criticism from some quarters.
Erdoğan said a wide range of investments in infrastructure, education, health care, culture, tourism, housing and agriculture were being inaugurated in Edirne alongside the reopening of Selimiye Mosque. He highlighted the completion of new housing projects and the development of the Söğütlük Nation Garden, while noting that additional water, irrigation and public service projects were underway across the province.
The president said the government had continued investing in Edirne over the past two decades and would maintain its focus on the city's development.
Often described by Mimar Sinan himself as his "masterpiece," Selimiye Mosque stands as a symbol of the pinnacle of Ottoman engineering and artistic achievement. The restoration not only returned the landmark to its full splendor but also revealed and preserved historical traces embedded in the structure, ensuring that the centuries-old monument continues to serve as both a place of worship and one of Türkiye's most visited cultural heritage sites.
Commissioned by Sultan Selim II as part of a broader social complex, the mosque was designed to serve not only as a place of worship but also as a center for education, commerce and public life. The surrounding facilities helped shape Edirne's urban landscape for centuries, and the site remains one of Türkiye's leading cultural and historical attractions today.
