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Edirne sits in northwest Türkiye near the borders with Greece and Bulgaria, and many travelers know it for its historic architecture, riverside setting, and past role as the capital of the Ottoman Empire before the conquest of Istanbul.
The city attracts steady interest from visitors who pass through on cross-border routes or plan short cultural trips from nearby European capitals.
Edirne continues to invest in tourism, infrastructure, and public services as the province moves ahead with new restoration work and a new waterline.
Governor Yunus Sezer described the city as a growing tourism hub and said officials run dozens of projects with limited budgets but strong coordination across institutions.
Governor Sezer said nearly 500 restoration projects continue across Edirne.
He called this number “a very large rate compared to the Türkiye average” and said the city treats the protection of its cultural heritage as a priority.
The ongoing work includes Saraclar Street, Ayakkabicilar Market, and many mosques, palaces, baths, and historic houses. Many projects now stand close to completion. Sezer said these efforts aim to protect Edirne’s historical fabric and support the city’s identity as a tourism center.
He also noted major environmental improvements along the Meric River, where authorities created what he described as “one of Türkiye’s most beautiful national gardens.” Sezer said the area now attracts visitors throughout the day and serves as a wide public space on both sides of the river.
Officials plan to extend restoration and environmental projects toward the other bank of the Meric as resources allow. Sezer said the river will continue to grow as a center for water sports, and the administration plans similar improvements on the Tunca River.
Sezer said the Saros Gulf, which welcomes about two million tourists each year, suffered from neglect and irregular use in past years.
He said authorities introduced strict measures over the past year to address waste, illegal structures, and disorder in the region.
As part of the broader tourism plan, the old diving center area inside Ibrice Port has now been reorganized. Sezer announced a new underwater museum project that will place stone replicas of key Edirne landmarks on the seabed to attract more diving visitors.
He said Edirne’s Special Provincial Administration continues these projects despite limited budgets and aims to strengthen itself through new investments and subsidiaries.
Edirne has faced water shortages due to dry conditions and old systems.
Governor Sezer said officials will finish the new transmission line from Suloglu Dam within one month. The line will add new water to the city and stabilize the supply.
Sezer explained that municipalities handle water delivery, while the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) manages water resources.
Municipalities can build transmission lines themselves or ask DSI to build them through a protocol. He said Edirne once used a line financed by an Iller Bank loan, but this line fell out of use and did not meet standards during recent inspections.
Local officials and MPs met with the DSI General Directorate and secured approval for a new line even though it was not in the agency’s investment program.
“The project, tender, and construction processes took three months, and work has already started. We will complete it in one month,” Sezer said. He added that the priority is to deliver results instead of arguing about which institution carries out the work.
When asked about the relocation of Yildirim Beyazit Anatolian High School, which requires demolition due to earthquake risk, Sezer said authorities chose 1. Murat Anatolian High School because the building has enough classroom capacity.
He said the building is a restored historic structure, and teams continue to fix remaining deficiencies.
Parents requested other options, but inspections showed those schools were not suitable. The administration awaits an earthquake safety report for Hasan Sezai Imam Hatip High School, which may be an alternative.
Students may also move to Trakya Birlik Primary School after its construction ends. “We transparently run this process. These are our children. They should study where they feel comfortable,” he said.
Sezer also addressed questions about the Ogulpasa Bridge and said concerns about a missing budget came from misunderstandings. He said teams will solve the technical issues and finish the bridge this year.
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