It was built from the order of Emir Süleyman, and completed under the rule of his brother, Sultan Mehmet I. The mosque is located in the historical center of the city, near the market and close to other prominent historical mosques, Selimiye Mosque and Üç Şerefeli Mosque.
The mosque is covered by 9 domes supported on four columns. The mosque had originally a single minaret, the taller one was later built by Murat II.The mosque without a courtyard is entered through three doors. Inside the mosque large calligraphy works can be seen.
It is the oldest of the three Sultan Mosques situated in the centre of the city. While it does not make such a grand impression as Selimiye Mosque, it is beautifully decorated with original huge calligraphies on its outer and inner walls.
Moreover, unlike most of the Imperial Ottoman mosques that are usually covered with one huge dome, this mosque was built with nine smaller ones.
History
The construction of the mosque began in 1403, on the order of Emir Suleyman Çelebi, one of the sons of Beyazit I. There was a prolonged break in the construction, caused by the succession war between three sons on Beyazit. The mosque was finally completed in 1414, when another son of Beyazit won the war and became the sole ruler of the Ottoman Empire as Sultan Mehmed I. The inscription above the western entrance gives the name of the architect responsible for the construction of the mosque – Haci Alaeddin of Konya, while Ömer bin Ibrahim was the site manager.
Numerous additions were made to the mosque over the centuries. The women’s lodge was added in 1612 by Filibeli Ramazan Aga, and the sultan’s lodge was constructed in 1763, during the reign of Sultan Mustafa III. The fountain at the base of the higher minaret was built in 1781, to serve as a place of water distribution as a form of charity.
Architecture
The mosque represents the group of the early Ottoman ‘Great Mosques’, modelled on the Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque) in Bursa. There is a five-bay portico in front of the mosque, but it is probably a later addition. Its central bay is covered by a dome, and the side bays are finished with cross-vaults. The marble entryway that leads into the prayer hall is decorated with muqarnas (stalactite) motive.
Huge calligraphies, visible both on the outside and the inside are a characteristic feature of the mosque. They were made at different times by various artists from all corners of the Ottoman Empire. Most of the interior decorations are from the second half of the 19th century, with the exception of the marble mihrab and mimbar, dating back to the times of the construction of the mosque and bearing the traces of fire. The mihrab has a unique appearance as it consists of two niches, with the smaller one, decorated with muqarnas pattern, is placed inside the larger one.
There are several peculiarities that distinguish Old Mosque from other mosques in Edirne. Local lore says that one stone on the wall is actually a little piece of the Kaaba brought from Mecca. This small black stone is known as Rukn-u Yemani and can be found on the wall of the window near the mimbar. Its location – called the Valley of Heaven – is believed to make the wishes come true and the prayers to be heard.
