Crowned at Dusk

Edirne is a city situated at the northwestern part of Turkey and it serves a gate to not only Greece but also to Bulgaria. Walking in the city, one feels different since the road signs do not direct you to nearby provinces but to these two countries in most junctions and it has always been important thereof.

Once upon a time, this city served as the capital for the Ottoman Empire and even after the shift of the capital to İstanbul it continued to serve as an important sanjak. Therefore, the city acts like a real-life museum today with its compact urban architecture with mosques, baths, Ottoman social-complexes, inns, bazaars, churches and synagogues. All these magnificent works of architecture lay inside a picturesque nature, especially if you visit the city in winter when you cannot help but feel as if you are out for hunting like an emperor. Seen from all over the city, the masterpiece of the great architect Sinan dominates this landscape. The mosque of Selimiye has been crowning this city for over four centuries and is able to invoke as many perceptions as possible  for those who are willing to catch up with its power. It is beautiful at any time and from any view. However, if a selection among them is a must, make it the city being crowned at dusk.