Discover Karaağaç: Monuments, Museums and Railway Station

Karaağaç offers several distinct points of interest for a stay focused on cultural history: the Lausanne Monument, the historic railway station, museums and the university campus. For your plans, you can decide whether you would most like to explore the Treaty of Lausanne, railway history, art or the work of an international university union.

The Lausanne Monument and the history of the treaty

The Lausanne Monument is located on the grounds of the Rectorate of Trakya University in Karaağaç. It was inaugurated on 19 July 1998 and symbolises the recovery of Karaağaç as Turkish territory through the Treaty of Lausanne, as well as the diplomatic victory achieved in the process. Its three tall columns represent Anatolia, Thrace and Karaağaç: the first is 36.45 metres high, the second 31.95 metres and the third 17.45 metres. Their different heights connect three clearly defined references with the monument’s commemorative message.

The Lausanne Museum displays books, documents and materials relating to the treaty. One exhibition room also covers railway traffic, the use of Karaağaç railway station and the transfer of Karaağaç to Turkey on 15 September 1923. In this way, the exhibition complements the monument’s symbolism with written materials and a specific railway station context.

Railway station history and museums

The completion of Karaağaç railway station is generally dated to 1914; it began operating in 1930. The dates mark different milestones: the completion of construction and the start of operations. This chronology gives railway history its own place alongside the history of the treaty presented at the Lausanne Museum.

The Museum of the Balkan Universities Union is located on Trakya University’s Karaağaç Campus. It opened on 9 May 2024 in the historic Çifte-Çınarlı Köşk. The union itself was founded in 2014; panels and digital screens present its founding and objectives. Its focus therefore differs from that of the Lausanne exhibition: it centres on the origins and aims of a university union.

The İlhan Koman Museum of Sculpture and Painting in Karaağaç displays works by the world-famous sculptor İlhan Koman, who was born in Edirne, as well as works by other notable artists. The collection includes sculptures, paintings and prints. Thus, alongside political remembrance and institutional history, visual art is also one of Karaağaç’s cultural themes.

Campus and visitor information

A nostalgic black train is located on the Karaağaç Campus. Walking paths and seating areas have been laid out around it; these visitor facilities may change. Check the current situation before your visit.

The Natural History Museum began welcoming visitors on 7 January 2023. Its listed visiting hours are 09:00 to 17:00 daily except Mondays. Before travelling, check whether it is currently open to visitors and whether these hours still apply.

Edirne as a broader cultural context

In the broader destination of Edirne, the Selimiye Mosque complex provides a distinct architectural focus. It is considered a masterpiece of human creativity by the architect Sinan. In addition to the mosque, the complex includes educational institutions, an outer courtyard and a covered bazaar. The mosque has a dome measuring 31.5 metres and four soaring minarets. These details about Edirne add a separate architectural theme to the picture of Karaağaç: the focus in Karaağaç is on the monument, railway station and museums, while Selimiye provides the architectural focus in the broader destination.

Discover more destinations: Mecidiye, Uzunköprü, Seydiköy, Lalapaşa, Enez, Edirne, Keşan, Yaylaköy.

Return to the broader travel overview: Edirne.