Usually, it is hard to find the tall, slender minarets of Muslim mosques in non-Islamic countries. And it is not usual to see the temples of other faiths than Islam on the streets of the large modern cities of Turkey. However, there are exceptions for ancient Christian churches and the Grand Synagogue of Edirne.
The Grand Synagogue of Edirne or Adrianople Synagogue (as Adrianople is the previous name of the city) was built in a Jewish district in 1909. It was not the first synagogue that appeared in the city. The Jewish community has been living in Turkey for many years. However, a sudden huge fire destroyed hundreds of residential buildings, including the main synagogue, in 1905. The construction of this magnificent monument of sacred architecture was started a year after this tragedy by a special decree of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and the permission of the Turkish government.
The project of the Grand Synagogue was developed by a talented French architect France Depre. The synagogue made in the neo-Moorish style resembled the famous Leopoldstadter Tempel dated to the 19th century. However, the Turkish synagogue has surpassed the Viennese one both in terms of spaciousness and the beauty and luxury of interiors. The Grand Synagogue can receive 1,200 believers, 900 men, and 300 women in the corresponding prayer halls. It became the third-largest Jewish synagogue in Europe and the largest one in Turkey.
Unfortunately, neither the beauty nor the impressive size of the synagogue did not help it to avoid desolation. The majority of the Jewish community of Edirne left the city and moved to Jerusalem after the tragic events in 1983. The synagogue opened its doors again to call for Shacharit, the morning prayer, only after three decades and several thorough restorations. Since then and to this day, it is open to visitors, except for the hours of religious services.