Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the 572nd anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople by opening four new “nation gardens“ in Istanbul, as the city is known today, the Anadolu Agency reported, quoted by BTA.
In his speech at the anniversary ceremony, Erdogan said that with the newly opened parks, the nation gardens in Istanbul reach 34, covering an area of over 5.5 million square meters. He added that construction of 20 more is underway as part of efforts to expand green spaces in the Turkish metropolis.
“We designed our nation gardens to serve as gathering points in times of disaster“, Erdogan said. “We saw how important this is during the Istanbul earthquake.“
Last month, a powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Istanbul, injuring at least 236 people in panic-induced incidents, according to official figures.
In a post on social media, the Turkish president celebrated the 1453 conquest, calling it “one of the most magnificent victories in our history“. He paid tribute to Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, and his army “with mercy, gratitude and respect“.
The capture of Istanbul (Constantinople – ed. note) in 1453 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Led by Sultan Mehmed II, Ottoman forces captured the city after a 53-day siege and made it the capital of the empire.
Turkey's first floating gas platform sets sail
Yesterday, Erdogan attended a ceremony marking the departure of the “Osman Gazi“, Turkey's first floating natural gas platform, to the Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea.
The Turkish president waved at the platform during a ceremony in front of the presidential palace in Dolmabahçe, Istanbul, which was also attended by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
“With our unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, unmanned underwater vehicles and advanced technologies, we continue to change the nature of modern warfare,“ he said he.
“In the defense industry – where we once waited at the doors of others – we are now a sought-after country“, Erdogan added.
The “Osman Gazi“ platform, which is expected to pass through the Bosphorus in 11 hours, is scheduled to arrive on Sunday at the port of Filyos in Zonguldak on Turkey's Black Sea coast.