Edirne Information
Once ancient Adrianople, now the main city of the province, Edirne lies in Turkish Thrace at the mouth of two rivers, the Tunca and the Arda of Maritza (Meriç), and its population is approximately 95,000. The city still has an oriental aspect, with its narrow streets, bazaars and bridges.
The city was established by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 125 A.D., who called it Hadrianopolis or Adrianople. It is situated on the military routes of the Danube and the Bosphorus. Because of its strategical importance, Edirne became an objective for various powers. In the 12th century during the Third Crusade, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (Red Beard) set up his winter quarters here. During the reign of Sultan Murat I Edirne became the capital of the young Ottoman Empire in 1365, and it stayed like that until the conquest of Istanbul.
Between the years 1829-1878 the city fell into the hands of the Russians. In 1912 the Bulgars conquered the city, but in the following years it was re-captured. From 1922 Edirne has been Turkish.
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