It is expected that the entire prayer area in Selimiye Mosque, where restoration works are continuing, will be opened this year.
Work continues in Selimiye, whose restoration was started in November 2021 by the General Directorate of Foundations.
The teams carry out the operations inside and outside of the mosque in accordance with the original. Restoration work continues on the main dome, minarets, courtyard, fountain, tiles and garden.
A part of the mosque has been used as a place of worship since the beginning of the restoration.
It is aimed to complete the work on the interior of the mosque and to open the entire prayer area this year.
"Work continues at the same pace"
Edirne Governor H. Kürşat Kırbıyık told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Selimiye is an extremely important work in terms of both Turkish Islamic history and Edirne.
Kırbıyık stated that they think of the Selimiye Mosque as the "jewel of the city" and said, "Work continues as planned. Hopefully, our goal of reopening the mosque's prayer area to the use of our citizens continues in the same way."
"There is a great interest especially from Istanbul"
Reminding that Selimiye Square was also renovated after the works of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Kırbıyık noted that visits to Selimiye continue intensively.
Pointing out that especially from the Balkan geography and Istanbul, visits are intense, Kırbıyık said:
"Especially after the Selimiye City Square arrangement was made, the interest of our guests coming from both the Balkan geography and different cities of our country is much more. I was here on the second day of the Ramadan Feast after my duty in Hatay, and we witnessed this intensity with our eyes. There is a great interest especially from Istanbul. We think that this intensity will increase even more after the restoration works are completely finished."