1. Istanbul: Day Trip to Edirne
You will depart from your hotel in the early morning, at which point you will make your way towards Eski Camii. The structure was built of cut stone and brick between 1402-14, with fine white marble and decorative calligraphy on the interior walls and pillars. Üç Serefeli Camii, the name of the mosque, was derived from the three balconies on the southeast minaret. Each balcony is reached by a separate stairway, and the decorative tile designs on the minarets are all different. The minarets were the most important development in the structure of the mosque in the 15th century. Selimiye Mosque Edirne’s crowning glory was built for Selim II, (1566-74) by Sinan who was the architect of the Abode of Felicity for 50 years. It was the masterpiece of Sinan’s old age, and its symmetrical design was strongly emphasized by the four minarets and the soaring rise of the central dome. Semiz Ali Pasa Arasta is also the work of Sinan. Completed in 1589, it is a long tunnel-like building with shops on both sides. There you may buy one of Edirne’s specialities, soap shaped like fruit or vegetables. Meric Bridge (New Bridge) was constructed at the junction of the Meriç and Arda rivers between 1842-1847. Kule Kapisi (a 12th-century tower gate) is all that remains of the tower, which once protected the principal gate of the citadel. It was rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor John Comnenus II (1118-1143) as part of his repair of the Hadrianic defensive system. Beyazit Kulliyesi is the largest in Edirne, the complex had a mosque and a hospital which was famous for the skill of its surgeons. In the octagonal domed timarhane, the insane were treated with musical therapy. At the conclusion of your historic tour, you will be returned back to your point of origin. (Selimiye Mosque is closed to visitors until 2025 as it is under repair)
