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Taksim Square (Taksim Meydanı) is the heart of the modern city of Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the Beyoğlu district and is a major transportation hub.
History
Taksim Square was originally a water distribution area established in 1732 by Mahmud I. The square we see today was originally laid out in 1940 by French architect Henri Prost (1874-1959). The demolition of the Taksim Military Barracks and Taksim Stadium (see below) as well as the Pangaltı Armenian Cemetery was necessary for its construction. It was a controversial project at the time and remains so to this day.
Controversy arose once again at the end of 2012, when work began to completely renovate Taksim Square into a pedestrianized area, rerouting traffic underground. In 2013, 16 tombstones from the cemetery were discovered during excavations for the Cumhuriyet Avenue tunnel.
Today, Taksim Square is surrounded by hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, and travel offices. It’s a favorite place for locals to gather for celebrations and protests.
Republic Monument
The Republic Monument (Cumhuriyet Anıtı) stands in the middle of the square. It was unveiled on August 8, 1928, to commemorate the foundation of the Turkish Republic. The monument was designed by Italian sculptor Pietro Canonica (1869-1959) and took 2 ½ years to build. It weighs 84 tons and was brought by ship from Rome to Istanbul.
The Republic Monument is 11 meters high and depicts several founders of the republic. On the north side, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) is dressed in his military uniform and standing in front of his soldiers.
On the south side, Atatürk is in Western clothing standing next to İsmet İnönü (1884-1973) and Fevzi Çakmak (1876-1950). Soviet ambassador Semyon Ivanovich Aralov (1880-1969) stands behind İnönü in a show of gratitude to the Soviets for financial and military aid during the Turkish War of Independence. A soldier stands on each side.
Maksem
The historic Maksem structures used for distributing water still stand on the west side of the square. The Maksem was used as a cistern to store the water and is rectangular in shape, measuring 17.5 x 90 meters.
The cistern was restored and reopened as the Taksim Republic Art Gallery (Taksim Cumhuriyet Sanat Galerisi) on December 20, 2008. It houses temporary exhibitions and admission is free. When we visited, there were some impressive works on display.
The fountain that was used to distribute the water is now used as tourism information center. It’s worth popping inside to see the ornate decorations on the underside of the dome and marble Ottoman fountain. Also, pay attention to the stone birdhouses near the top above the entrance.
Taksim Mosque
Towering above the Maksem is the Taksim Mosque (Taksim Camii). Although plans for a mosque at Taksim Square had been in the works since 1952, they were never carried out due to legal obstacles, controversy, and lack of public interest. The only person powerful enough to get the project done was Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who obtained final approval for construction after many years of efforts.
Construction on the Taksim Mosque started on February 17, 2017, and it opened on May 28, 2021. The new mosque not only changed the look of Taksim Square, but also its culture. For years, Taksim Square has been a symbol of secularism in Turkey.
Taksim Mosque was built in the Art Deco style by two Turkish architects, Şefik Birkiye and Selim Dalaman. The mosque can hold up to 3,000 worshippers. It contains a conference center, underground parking garage, and café.
Istiklal Street
The south end of Taksim Square is where Istiklal Street begins. This pedestrianized street is popular with both locals and tourists. At the beginning of the street are several fast food stands selling döner and ıslak burgers. There are also several cart sellers on Istiklal and around the square.
AKM
The Atatürk Cultural Center (Atatürk Kültür Merkezi), or AKM, stands at the east end of the square. Construction started on February 10, 2019, and it opened on October 29, 2021. The AKM contains a theatre, cinema, concert halls, convention space, a library, a museum, an art gallery, cafés, and restaurants. The architect was Murat Tabanlıoğlu, the son of Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, who designed the original AKM.
The original AKM opened on April 12, 1969, and took 13 years to build. For many years, it served as a concert hall and cultural center, hosting the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and Choir (İstanbul Devlet Senfoni Orkestrası ve Korosu); Istanbul State Modern Folk Music Ensemble (İstanbul Devlet Modern Halk Müziği Topluluğu); and the Istanbul State Classical Turkish Music Choir (İstanbul Devlet Klasik Türk Müziği Korosu). The building closed for renovation in June 2008 but the project never got off the ground. It was demolished in February 2018 to make way for the new building.
Gezi Park
Gezi Park sits on the north side of the square. It was once the site of the Taksim Military Barracks (Taksim Kışlası), which later became Taksim Stadium. The stadium was demolished in 1940 to create the park and square. The Gezi Park protests broke out in Taksim Square on May 28, 2013, after locals reacted negatively to a plan to destroy the park and build a shopping center.
Transportation
As a transportation hub on the European side of Istanbul, most people will find themselves transiting through Taksim Square at one point or another. The entrance to the Taksim metro station as well as the F1 funicular line running down to Kabataş are both in the middle of the square. Bus stops are located underground. Check out the art gallery if you’re passing through the metro station.
