Edirne, Ottoman capital city in Eastern Thrace, Turkey.
Edirne is a city in northwestern Turkey near the borders with Greece and Bulgaria, where the Tunca and Maritsa rivers meet. The settlement spreads across both riverbanks with bridges from different centuries connecting historic quarters and newer residential areas.
The settlement was founded by Emperor Hadrian in 125 CE and originally called Hadrianopolis. It served as capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1369 to 1453 before administration moved to Constantinople.
The old bazaar quarters around the central Arasta Bazaar show a living tradition of crafts with shops selling soap and traditional textiles. Local specialties like tava ciğer and fried liver appear on menus at restaurants along Saraçlar Street.
The town sits about two hours by bus from Istanbul and connects well to both national and international destinations. The center is walkable, while more distant mosques and bridges are best reached by taxi or rented bicycle.
The Mezit Bridge from the 15th century has rooms inside its massive stone piers that once served as a caravanserai for travelers. These chambers gave merchants a sheltered resting spot on the long route between Constantinople and the Balkans.
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