Republic Day of Turkey

Republic Day of Turkey

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  1. 1923Republic of Turkey proclaimed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
  2. 1934Women gain the right to vote — ahead of many Western countries
  3. 1938Atatürk dies — his legacy shapes Turkey to this day

Why Turkey celebrates 29 October

On 29 October 1923, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey proclaimed the Republic of Turkey, ending the Ottoman Sultanate and establishing a modern, secular nation-state. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the first president. The date marks the most radical political transformation in Turkish history — a medieval empire reborn as a 20th-century republic.

Atatürk's reforms were sweeping and rapid. The caliphate was abolished, the Latin alphabet replaced Arabic script, Western dress codes were adopted, women gained the right to vote in 1934, and a secular civil code replaced Islamic sharia. Turkey was to be a European-style nation-state, and the republic's foundation on 29 October marked the start of that transformation.

Republic Day is Turkey's most important national holiday. Ceremonies begin at 9:05 AM — the moment of Atatürk's death is commemorated each year on 10 November, but Republic Day itself begins with flag ceremonies and a minute of silence. Istanbul's Bosphorus is lit up, and major cities hold parades with red-and-white Turkish flags everywhere.

  1. 202629 October 2026 · Thursday
  2. 202729 October 2027 · Friday
  3. 202829 October 2028 · Sunday
The Turkish flag
Turkey flag

The Turkish flag — al bayrak — has a red field with a white star and crescent in the centre. The star and crescent have been used in the region since the Byzantine period and became symbols of Ottoman power. The design has been the flag of Turkey since the republic's founding. The crescent moon and star are widely recognised as symbols of Islam, though their use predates Islam in Anatolia.

Turkish cuisine is one of the world's great food traditions — spanning the nomadic cooking of Central Asia, the Ottoman palace kitchen and the Mediterranean vegetables and seafood of the Aegean and Black Sea coasts.

What to eat

KebabTurkish kebab in its dozens of forms — Adana, shish, döner, İskender — is the foundation of Turkish grilled meat culture.
MezeAn array of small dishes — hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed vine leaves, cacık, eggplant salads — served at the start of every meal.
BörekThin layers of yufka pastry filled with meat, cheese or spinach, baked or fried until golden.
BaklavaLayers of filo with ground pistachios or walnuts soaked in sugar syrup — Gaziantep is the baklava capital.
İmam bayıldıBraised whole aubergine stuffed with onion, tomato and garlic — a vegetarian Ottoman classic.
SimitSesame-encrusted circular bread — sold on street carts across Turkey, eaten for breakfast.

What to drink

RakiAnise-flavoured clear spirit — Turkey's national drink, drunk with water and ice alongside mezze.
Turkish teaÇay — strong black tea served in tulip-shaped glasses — consumed all day, every day, across Turkey.
AyranCold salted yogurt drink — the standard accompaniment to kebab and grilled meats.
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Turkey culture

Turkey's culture spans the Hittites, Phrygians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. Istanbul alone has been the capital of three empires. Turkish culture encompasses both the European and the Asian, the secular and the Islamic.

Hagia SophiaThe greatest Byzantine church, later mosque, now again a mosque — the architectural marvel of Istanbul for 1500 years.
Turkish bath (hammam)The traditional steam bath — a social and cleansing ritual that has been part of Turkish culture since Ottoman times.
Whirling dervishesThe Mevlevi Order's Sema ceremony in Konya — UNESCO-listed spinning meditation and musical performance.
Grand BazaarIstanbul's covered market with 4000 shops — one of the oldest and largest in the world, active since 1461.