Edirne Palace: the history of the palace and photo

After the television series "Magnificent Century" was broadcast, the Russians rekindled interest in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire. The old palace in Edirne was repeatedly mentioned during the events of the epic. Members of the Sultan's family regularly went to this complex. And according to some historical information, it was in this palace that the great Roksolana-Hurrem, the main character of the series, died. Suleiman Qanooni, by the way, was near his beloved wife until her last breath. Few know that the palace complex, which was the last refuge of the Sultan's couple, was at first a modest hunting lodge near a river called Tuncha. But later he "overgrew" gardens, fountains, baths and numerous pavilions. What made the palace in Edirne so famous, second in importance after the Istanbul Topkapi? Let's understand.

Edirne

In the ancient era in this place was the Thracian settlement of the Uskuds. In the late Roman Empire, Emperor Hadrian turned it into a city to which he gave his name. Even then it was a frontier outpost. On the Adrianapol repeatedly attacked the tribes of the Visigoths, the Bulgarians, and later attacked the army of the Crusaders. In 1364, the city was captured by the Turks under the leadership of Shah Murat I and renamed Edirne. While Mehmed the Second did not conquer Constantinople (and the fall of the Byzantine capital occurred in 1453), the residence of the Sultan was there. But later, when the capital moved to Istanbul, and the majestic Topkapi was built, Edirne's palace was not completely abandoned. The city in the far west of the country, at the borders of Greece and Bulgaria, remained an important strategic point in the times of the Ottoman Empire. The famous architect Sinan built the largest in Turkey (and the second in the world) Selimiye Mosque. Edirne is famous for its covered markets: the ancient Bedestan of fourteen rooms, Semiz-Ali Pasha with a domed ceiling. In the city the medieval quarter of Calais was preserved with beautiful buildings.

History of the palace in Edirne

It is said that Sultan Murat II saw a dream in which the gray-bearded elder ordered him to build a residence near the city. So it or not, the neighborhood of the river Tunchi has long been famous for its abundance of game. So the sultan ordered in the forest, on a plot of almost three square kilometers, to build a hunting lodge. He never saw the results of the architects' work, because he died in a year. His work was continued by descendants who expanded the hunting lodge to the size of a huge summer residence, with numerous fountains, baths and gardens. The grandiose construction was completed already under the sultan Mehmet Fatih. This complex is called Sarayy Jhedid and Amire, which translates as "New Palace". Edirne did not keep the old residence of Murat I, the first Turkish ruler of the city. The new palace was the second most important after Topkapi and was used by the sultans and members of the dynasty until the nineteenth century. But then the Russian troops inflicted considerable damage on the residence. Of the more than a hundred buildings, only ten have survived. In 2009, the global reconstruction of the palace began. Although the work is still ongoing, visitors are allowed into the museum.

The palace in Edirne (Turkey)

Let's now make a virtual tour of the summer residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. She was the favorite resting place for the heroes of the series "The Magnificent Age" by Suleiman Qanooni and Haseki Hurrem, and later - by their son Selim II. The palace was inhabited for a long time by the sultans of Ahmed (First, Second and Third), Mehmed Avzhi and Mustafa II. Naturally, the residence had fortifications - walls, towers. The main entrance was through the Imperial Gates (Bab Humayun). They were twelve meters high and supported by four columns. Behind the gate a paved road led past the guards to the big courtyard, Alai Maidani. There were various official ceremonies on this parade ground. Nearby, in the walls encircling the palace Edirne, there were another gate - Happiness, or White Eunuchs (Bab-us-Saadat). The residential complex stood apart. The harem was located behind the Sultan's quarters. In addition to hunting grounds, the residence had a park with a separate pavilion.

Gihanyuma

This pavilion was the main building of the palace complex. The building had seven floors, and on the uppermost level there was a swimming pool. The pavilion was built in 1452. There were private rooms of the Sultan. Probably, in the seven-story palace there were other rooms - for guards, servants, guest rooms for the highest dignitaries of the empire. The Gihanyum Pavilion was completely destroyed during the Russo-Turkish War. Now is its restoration. This year, archeologists have recovered fragments of beautifully decorated dishes, household utensils, remnants of water pipes and sewerage. Outside this building, presumably at the main entrance, there are two large stones. The one on the right was intended to leave petitions and petitions on it. The left stone served as a plow for the executed.

The Pavilion of Justice

Edirne Palace, whose photo shows (only) only ruins, had other pavilions. The second most important is the House of Justice. Sultan Suleiman Kanuni did not release the reins of his empire, even on vacation. Therefore, he ordered the architect Sinan to build in the residence a separate three-story pavilion for the Supreme Court and the Divan. Officials gathered in the lower tier, Shcherbet Khan, where they were offered refreshing drinks. The second floor was reserved for the office and library. The meetings were held on the upper tier, in a marble hall, in the middle of which was a fountain. As in Topkapi, in the room of the Divan's meetings was the throne of the Sultan, and behind him was a secret room.

Other buildings

Edirne Palace had a huge territory - more than three square kilometers. For centuries, various sultans have arranged it. Mehmed Fatih built the Sand Pavilion near Jihannum. The main hamam was attached to this structure. Pavilion with baths have survived to this day. Also in the palace complex was a hospital with a hospital in case of illness of servants. Part of the garden was reserved for cultivation of medicinal plants. In the forest zone was the Nightingale Pavilion, which performed the original function of the entire palace - served as a hunting lodge. The complex also included a freestanding building with a dome vault. It contained an arsenal and a treasury. At the palace, of course, there was a mosque.