Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the 572nd anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul on Thursday with a flurry of nationalist symbolism and development pledges, inaugurating new parks and sending off the country’s first floating natural gas production unit.
At a ceremony in Istanbul, Erdogan opened four new “nation’s gardens,” pushing the total number in the city to 34 and expanding green space to more than 5.5 million square meters. Twenty more are under construction.
“We designed our nation’s gardens to serve as gathering points in times of disaster,” Erdogan said, referencing last month’s 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Istanbul, which injured at least 236 people in panic-related incidents.
Separately, Erdogan took to social media to commemorate the 1453 conquest of the city by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, calling it “one of the most magnificent victories in our history” and praising the sultan and his army “with mercy, gratitude and respect.”
The capture of Istanbul from the Byzantines marked the rise of the Ottoman Empire and transformed the city into its imperial capital.
Earlier in the day, Erdogan attended the send-off ceremony for Türkiye’s first floating natural gas production unit, Osman Gazi, which is headed for the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea. The platform is expected to double the site’s gas output.
Speaking at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office, Erdogan said Türkiye was rapidly advancing its defense and energy independence.
“With our UAVs, drones, unmanned underwater vehicles and advanced technologies, we are continuing to reshape the nature of modern warfare,” he said. “In the defense industry – where we once waited at others’ doors – we are now a country being sought out.”
The Osman Gazi is expected to arrive at Filyos Port on Sunday after an 11-hour passage through the Bosphorus.