Edirne served as the Ottoman Empire's capital for roughly eighty years, from 1369 until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 moved the seat of power there instead, and the city's architecture still carries that imperial memory. The Selimiye Mosque, completed in 1575, is widely considered the masterpiece of the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, its dome deliberately built to rival, and by some measures exceed, the Hagia Sophia's in Istanbul. UNESCO listed the mosque as World Heritage in 2011.
Every summer since 1362, Edirne has hosted the Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival, wrestlers coated head to toe in olive oil competing on a grass field outside the city, a tradition Guinness World Records recognises as the oldest continuously running sporting competition anywhere. The event pulls a national audience each July, and coach groups travelling to watch it join a crowd whose ancestors were doing the same thing over six centuries ago.
Selimiye Mosque
Completed in 1575, the Selimiye Mosque is widely considered Mimar Sinan's architectural masterpiece, its dome built to rival the Hagia Sophia's in scale. UNESCO listed the mosque as World Heritage in 2011.
Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling
Held every summer since 1362, the Kirkpinar festival sees wrestlers coated in olive oil compete on a grass field outside the city, a tradition Guinness World Records recognises as the oldest continuously running sporting competition anywhere.
Former Ottoman Capital
Edirne served as the Ottoman Empire's capital from 1369 until the 1453 conquest of Constantinople, and the imperial architecture from that roughly eighty-year period still defines much of the city centre today.
What Bus Hire Costs in Edirne
As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Edirne runs around 4,200 to 6,800 TRY per day, a midi-coach (around 29 seats) around 6,800 to 11,000 TRY per day, and a full-size coach (49 seats) around 10,200 to 16,500 TRY per day. Edirne's pricing lifts sharply around the July Kirkpinar festival, with steady heritage tourism the rest of the year given its easy reach from Istanbul. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges -- send your details for a free quote.
Quick Facts
- Country: Turkey
- Airport: nearest is Istanbul, approx. 2.5hrs by road
- Currency: TRY (Turkish Lira)
- Drives on: Right
- Language: Turkish
- Population: approx. 180,000 (city)
- Demand: Medium, sharp peak around the July Kirkpinar festival
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