One of the greatest masterpieces of classical Ottoman architecture is in the city of Edirne, which was capital of the Ottoman Empire for 90 years prior to the conquest of Istanbul. Selimiye Mosque was built for Sultan Selim II (1566-1574), the son of Süleyman the Magnificent, and its architect was Sinan, the Euclid of his age. The mosque is Sinan's most glorious achievement and in it he set the golden signature of his mastery upon the city of Edirne. I first knew Selimiye Mosque amidst lights and colours, its four slender minarets, the tallest of any Ottoman mosque, drawing me from afar. I saw the soaring space of the interior illuminated by the early morning sun pouring in through the 999 windows, and by night drenched in the light of 3788 lamps. The tulips, hyacinths, violets, carnations, marguerites, roses and pomegranate blossom of the spectacularly beautiful Iznik wall tiles did not seem immutable, but ever-changing as the day progressed and night followed day. After some time inside the mosque the dome which Sinan believed surpassed that of Haghia Sophia made its presence felt.

The sense of integral space and mystic atmosphere seemed to purify the emotions of all the petty concerns of daily life. Chief imperial architect Sinan was in his eighties when he built the Selimiye, which marks the zenith of his lifelong endeavour to perfect the domed building. The Süleymaniye Mosque had taken him nearly to the zenith of his creative power, but Selimiye was the crown of his genius. The mosque was built to commemorate the conquest of Cyprus, perhaps Selim II's sole military achievement, and either because no hilltop remained in Istanbul worthy of such a monument, or perhaps as a gesture of loyalty to a city where Selim had spent nine years of his life, it was decided to build it in Edirne. The chosen site was the hill of Saribayir overlooking the city, and the acquisition of land commenced. In those years horticulture was one of the main sources of income in Edirne, and Saribayir was covered with flower nurseries growing principally tulips. The story goes that a woman who owned a small tulip garden here objected to selling her land, and resisted official pressure for a considerable time.

Unlike Süleymaniye, Selimiye Mosque has only a small complex of institutions attached to it, consisting of a medrese and school for teaching the hadith set at the southern corners of the plaza. The medrese today houses Edirne Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. The arasta, a row of 77 shops against the outside wall of the plaza is a later addition dating from the reign of Murad III (1574-1595). When I left Edirne late that afternoon only the mosque bade me farewell, its domes and minarets visible long after the surrounding city was out of sight. Soon the daylight which poured through the 999 windows would be replaced by the light from 3788 lamps. I had first seen the mosque brilliant with light and colour, and that image would remain with me.

* Ersin Toker is a freelance writer.