Edirne Province

Part of European Turkey, it is one of only three provinces located entirely within continental Europe. Its area is 6,145 km², and its population is 414,714 (2022). Edirne Province is bordered by Tekirdağ Province and Kırklareli Province to the east, and the Gallipoli peninsula of Çanakkale Province to the south-east. It shares international borders with Bulgaria (Haskovo and Yambol Provinces) to the north and Greece (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace) to the west. Edirne is the capital of the province, and the largest city. It is the only province of Turkey that borders Greece.

Edirne Province Edirne ili
Province
Selimiye Mosque in Edirne
Location of the province within Turkey
Country	Turkey
Seat	Edirne
Government
• Governor	Yunus Sezer
Area	6,145 km2 (2,373 sq mi)
Population  (2022)	414,714
• Density	67/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Area code	0284
Website	www.edirne.gov.tr

Edirne, capital of the province, is notable for serving as the third capital of the Ottoman Empire from 1363 to 1453.

Edirne province was included in the Second Inspectorate General which was created on the 19 February 1934 and extended over the provinces of Edirne, Çanakkale, Kırklareli, Tekirdağ. It was ruled by an Inspector General, who had wide-ranging authorities over civilian, military and educational matters. The office of the Inspectorate-General was abandoned in 1948 but the legal framework of the Inspectorate-Generals was only abolished in 1952, under the Government of the Democrat Party.

Until the reign of Selim I, there were remnant populations of so-called Tengri Turks in the province of Edirne who adhered to the ancient beliefs of Tengrism. It is assumed that it was a group of nomadic Yörüks.

 

Edirne province is divided into 9 districts (capital district in bold):

• Edirne
• Enez
• Havsa
• İpsala
• Keşan
• Lalapaşa
• Meriç
• Süloğlu
• Uzunköprü

•  
  Church of Saint John the Baptist in Uzunköprü.
•  
  Selimiye Mosque

• Edirne Vilayet
• List of populated places in Edirne Province