Editing Taksim Square

{{short description|District in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey}}
{{Infobox urban feature
|name=Taksim Square
|image_place= Istanbul Taksim Square (54515155507).jpg
|pushpin_map= 
|pushpin_map_caption=Location of the square in Istanbul
|coordinates = {{coord|41|02|13|N|28|59|09|E|region:TR-34_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline, title}}
|location= 
|address2=[[Beyoğlu]], [[Istanbul]]
|place_type=Public square
|owner= 
|designer= 
|open=
|surface=
| features=  Republic Monument, Atatürk Cultural Center, Marmara Hotel, Taksim Square Mosque
}}<!-- [[WP:NFCC]] violation: [[File:Nm mezar taslari 1630.jpg|thumb|Armenian tombstones from the [[Pangaltı Armenian Cemetery]], discovered in 2013 during the excavations for the [[pedestrian zone|pedestrianization]] project of Taksim Square. The cemetery was located on the northern section of Taksim Gezi Park.]] -->

'''Taksim Square''' ({{langx|tr|Taksim Meydanı}}, {{IPA|tr|ˈtaksim ˈmejdanɯ|IPA}}), situated in [[Beyoğlu]] in the [[Europe]]an part of [[Istanbul]], [[Turkey]], is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of the [[Istanbul Metro]] network. Taksim Square is also the location of the [[Republic Monument]] ({{langx|tr|Cumhuriyet Anıtı}}) which was crafted by [[Pietro Canonica]] and inaugurated in 1928. The monument commemorates the 5th anniversary of the foundation of the [[Republic of Turkey]] in 1923, following the [[Turkish War of Independence]].

The square is flanked to the south by The Marmara Hotel, to the east by the [[Atatürk Cultural Center|Atatürk Cultural Centre]], to the north by [[Taksim Gezi Park|Gezi Park]] and to the west by [[Taksim Mosque]]. Several major roads converge on the square: Gümüşsuyu Caddesi, Cumhuriyet Caddesi, Tarlabaşı Bulvarı, [[İstiklal Avenue|İstiklal Caddesi]] and Sıraselviler Caddesi. 

==History==
[[File:Taksim square 1880.jpg|thumb|Taksim in the 1880s|left]]
The word Taksim means "division" or "distribution" in Arabic. Taksim Square was originally the point where the main water lines from the north of Istanbul were collected and branched off to other parts of the city (hence the name.) This use for the area was established by Sultan [[Mahmud I]]. The square takes its name from the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] era stone [[reservoir]] which is located along one side of the square.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Another significant building that once stood on the square was the 19th century [[Taksim Military Barracks|Taksim Artillery Barracks]] (''Taksim Kışlası'', which later became the [[Taksim Stadium]]), but which was demolished in 1940 during the construction works in accordance with the plans of [[France|French]] architect and [[city planner]] [[Henri Prost]] for Taksim Square and [[Taksim Gezi Park]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wowturkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668|title=Yok olan İstanbul Taksim Meydanı - Topçu Kışlası yeniden inşa ediliyor!|website=wowturkey.com}}</ref> 

Taksim Gezi Park is a small green park in the midst of the concrete expanse of central Istanbul. In 2013, the city municipality, wanting to rebuild the old barracks as a shopping venue on the site of the park, began forcefully removing protesters who had set up camp in the park. After news spread of the [[police brutality]], thousands of people rallied in the [[2013 Taksim Gezi Park protests in Turkey|Occupy Taksim]] movement, to stop the demolition of the park. As of 2013, the status of the demolition project was in limbo, the [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|Justice and Development Party]] (AKP) government has the [[General Directorate of Security (Turkey)|Police]] stationed in and around Taksim Square ready with [[riot control]] equipment to deter any large demonstrations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-316733-protestors-stand-guard-at-istanbuls-gezi-park-to-prevent-demolition.html |newspaper=[[Today's Zaman]] |title=Police disperse protesters with pepper spray to continue partial demolition of Gezi Park |date=2013-05-28 |access-date=2013-06-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623220919/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-316733-protestors-stand-guard-at-istanbuls-gezi-park-to-prevent-demolition.html |archive-date=2013-06-23 }}</ref>{{update after|2022|11|13}}<!-- so what happened after 2013 on the grass park & demolition project? -->

==Present day==
[[File:Monument_of_the_Republic,_Istanbul,_group.jpg|thumb|The [[Republic Monument]] (1928) at 

Taksim Square, crafted by Italian sculptor [[Pietro Canonica]].]]
Taksim is a main transportation hub and a popular destination for both tourists and residents of Istanbul. [[İstiklal Caddesi]] (Independence Avenue), a long pedestrian shopping street, ends at this square, and a nostalgic tram runs from the square along the avenue, ending near the [[Tünel]] (1875) which is the world's second-oldest subway line after [[London Underground|London's Underground]] (1863). In addition to serving as the main transfer point for the municipal bus system, Taksim Square is also the terminus of the Hacıosman-4. Levent-Taksim-Yenikapı subway line of the [[Istanbul Metro]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

[[File:Bondinho de Istanbul (2893156868).jpg|thumb|The [[Istanbul nostalgic tramways|nostalgic tram]] that operates between Taksim Square at north and [[Tünel|Tünel Square]] at the southern end of [[Istiklal Avenue]]. The [[Hagia Triada Church, Istanbul|Hagia Triada Church]] is visible in the background.]]

Taksim's position was given an extra boost on June 29, 2006, when the new [[Kabataş-Taksim Funicular]] line F1 connecting the Taksim Metro station with the [[Kabataş, Istanbul|Kabataş]] [[tram]]way station and [[İDO|Seabus port]] was opened, allowing people to ascend to Taksim in just 110 seconds.<ref>[http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/haberdetay.php?nid=27 Taksim-Kabataş funicular subway connection] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517124422/http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/haberdetay.php?nid=27 |date=2007-05-17 }}</ref>

Surrounding Taksim Square are numerous travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and international [[fast food]] chains such as [[Pizza Hut]], [[McDonald's]], [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]], and [[Burger King]]. It is also home to some of Istanbul's grandest hotels including the [[InterContinental]], the [[Divan Istanbul|Divan]], and The Marmara Hotel. Taksim used to be a favourite location for public events such as parades, New Year celebrations, and other social gatherings, although since 2016 permission has rarely been given for such gatherings.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

[[Atatürk Cultural Center]] (''Atatürk Kültür Merkezi''), a multi-purpose concert hall and cultural centre reopened after renovation in 2021, is also located in Taksim Square. It faces the [[Taksim Square Mosque]] which also opened 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=SABAH|first=DAILY|date=2021-04-19|title=Mosque to finally be unveiled in Istanbul's Taksim Square|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/istanbul/mosque-to-finally-be-unveiled-in-istanbuls-taksim-square|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Daily Sabah|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Gall|first=Carlotta|date=2019-03-22|title=In Istanbul, Erdogan Remakes Taksim Square, a Symbol of Secular Turkey|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/world/europe/in-istanbul-erdogan-remakes-taksim-square-a-symbol-of-secular-turkey.html|access-date=2021-04-19|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Demonstrations and incidents==
The square used to be an important venue for [[Protest|political protests]].  

* On February 16, 1969, some 150 leftist demonstrators were injured during clashes with right wing groups in what is known as "[[Bloody Sunday (1969)|Bloody Sunday]]".
* In the events known as the [[Taksim Square massacre]], 36 left-wing demonstrators were killed by unidentified and allegedly right-wing gunmen on the square during the [[Labour Day]] demonstrations of May 1, 1977.
* On 10 August 1982, [[Artin Penik]], a Turkish Armenian, set himself on fire to protest the [[Esenboga airport attack]] by the [[Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia]].<ref name="associatedpress">{{cite news|last=Associated Press|title=Armenian Dies Of Self-inflicted Burns|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bIZiAAAAIBAJ&pg=1638,1921786&dq|access-date=2021-02-14|newspaper=Observer-Reporter|date=August 16, 1982}}</ref>
* Taksim Square was the location of football riots in 2000 when two [[Leeds United A.F.C.|Leeds United]] fans were [[2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence|stabbed to death]] during clashes with [[Galatasaray S.K. (football team)|Galatasaray]] fans, the night before the [[1999–2000 UEFA Cup|1999-2000]] [[UEFA Cup]] [[1999–2000 UEFA Cup#First leg 6|semi-final first leg]] match between the two teams.
* On October 31, 2010, a [[2010 Istanbul bomb blast|suicide bomb]] went off next to a police bus. The bomber, a [[Kurdistan Freedom Falcons|TAK]] militant, died, while 15 police officers and 17 civilians were injured.<ref name="aljaz">{{cite news |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/10/2010103185656175601.html |title=Suicide blast hits Istanbul |work=Al Jazeera |date=31 October 2010 |access-date=31 October 2010}}</ref>
[[File:Çerkez sürgününün anılması 1.jpg|thumb|[[Circassians in Turkey|Circassians]] marching to commemorate the [[Circassian genocide]] at Taksim Square, 2011.]]
* A march to protest the [[Circassian genocide]] took place in May 2011.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

Following many other violent incidents, all protests and demonstrations were banned and today police units maintain a round-the-clock presence to prevent any incidents. It is many years since either May Day or New Year's Day events were permitted to take place in the square, with much of the surrounding area usually fenced off for the day and the Metro station often closed to prevent people gathering. 

===Gezi Park protests===
{{main|Gezi Park protests}}

[[File:June08-GeziParkiTaksimSquare.jpg|thumb|left|Taksim during the [[Gezi Park protests|2013 protests]]]]

In 2013, [[2013 Gezi Park protests in Turkey|protests took place]] in Taksim in opposition to the reconstruction of the Ottoman era [[Taksim Military Barracks]] (demolished in 1940 to create [[Taksim Gezi Park|Gezi Park]]) and a [[shopping center|shopping centre]] on the site of Gezi Park.<ref name="hurriyetdailynews">{{cite news |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/taksim-park-protests-in-4th-day-amid-police-crackdown-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=47946&NewsCatID=341 |title=Taksim park protests in 4th day amid police crackdown |work=Hurriyet Daily News |date=31 May 2013 |access-date=31 May 2013}}</ref> In the early morning of May 31, [[General Directorate of Security (Turkey)|police]] forces moved in on the demonstrators and people sleeping in tents, and tried to disperse them with [[tear gas]], [[pepperspray]] and [[water cannon]]s.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/31/istanbul-park-protests-turkish-spring|title=Istanbul park protests sow the seeds of a Turkish spring|first=Richard|last=Seymour|date=31 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/world/europe/police-attack-protesters-in-istanbuls-taksim-square.html|title=Peaceful Protest Over Istanbul Park Turns Violent as Police Crack Down|first1=Tim|last1=Arango|first2=Ceylan|last2=Yeginsu|date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Gay pride Istanbul 2013 - Taksim Square.jpg|thumb|The 2013 [[Istanbul Pride|Istanbul LGBT Pride]] at Taksim Square in Istanbul]]

The demonstrators criticized Prime Minister (now President) [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] for his uncompromising stance on this controversial issue and for the Turkish police's excessive use of force against the demonstrators.<ref name="zeit1">{{cite news|newspaper=Die Zeit|url=http://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2013-05/istanbul-protest-erdogan-taksim-gezi/komplettansicht|title=Eine Ahnung von Tahrir in Istanbul|lang=de|trans-title=An Inkling of Tahrir in Istanbul|first=Michael|last=Thumann|date=31 May 2013}}</ref>

The large number of trees in the forests of northern Istanbul that were cut down to provide access to the [[Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge]] (Third Bosphorus Bridge) and the new [[Istanbul Airport|Istanbul International Airport]]<ref name=newsweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/istanbuls-new-erdogan-backed-airport-be-named-after-erdogan-264580|title=Istanbul's New Erdoğan-Backed Airport to Be Named After... Erdoğan|website=Newsweek|first=Damien|last=Sharkov|date=14 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/business_istanbuls-new-airport-to-be-named-after-erdogan_355576.html|newspaper=Today's Zaman|title=İstanbul's new airport to be named after Erdoğan|date=13 August 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818020602/http://www.todayszaman.com/business_istanbuls-new-airport-to-be-named-after-erdogan_355576.html|archive-date=18 August 2014}}</ref><ref name=IBT>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/erdogan-airport-istanbuls-super-hub-be-named-after-turkeys-president-elect-1461166|title=Erdogan Airport: Istanbul's Super Hub 'to be Named After Turkey's President-Elect'|first=Gianluca|last=Mezzofiore|date=14 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-largest-airport-is-worthy-of-recep-tayyip-erdogans-name-minister-says-70374|title=Turkey's largest airport is worthy of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's name, minister says|website=Hürriyet Daily News|date=14 August 2014 }}</ref> (the world's largest airport)<ref name=newsweek/><ref name=IBT/><ref name="star">{{cite news |newspaper=[[Star (Turkish newspaper)|Star]] |url=http://haber.stargazete.com/ekonomi/3-havalimaninda-tarih-belli-oldu/haber-721825 |title=Dünyanın en büyük havalimanı İstanbul'a yapılıyor |lang=tr |trans-title=The World's Largest Airport is being Built in Istanbul |date=23 January 2013 |access-date=24 January 2013 }}</ref> were other factors that triggered the [[Gezi Park protests]]. According to official Turkish government data, a total of 2,330,012<ref name="OdaTV">{{Cite news |date=16 September 2013 |title=İstanbul'da 2 milyon 700 bin ağaç kesilecek |trans-title=2 Million 700 Thousand Trees will be Cut Down in Istanbul |website=oda TV |url=https://odatv4.com/istanbulda-2-milyon-700-bin-agac-kesilecek--1609131200.html |lang=tr}}</ref><ref name="T24">{{Cite news |date=17 September 2013 |title=3. köprü ve 3. havalimanı için 2 milyon 330 bin ağaç kesilecek! |trans-title=2.33 Million Trees will be Cut Down for the Third Bridge and the Third Airport! |website=T24 |url=http://t24.com.tr/haber/3-kopru-ve-3-havalimani-icin-2-milyon-330-bin-agac-kesilecek/239712 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920032657/http://t24.com.tr/haber/3-kopru-ve-3-havalimani-icin-2-milyon-330-bin-agac-kesilecek/239712 |archive-date=20 September 2013 |lang=tr}}</ref> trees have been cut down to make way for the airport and its road connections; while a further 381,096<ref name=OdaTV/><ref name=T24/> trees were cut down to make way for the highways leading to the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge.<ref name=T24/>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Topçu Kışlası by Guillaume Berggren.jpg|[[Taksim Military Barracks|Taksim Artillery Barracks]], which later became the [[Taksim Stadium]], was demolished in 1940 and replaced by the [[Taksim Gezi Park]] in 1943.
File:Taksim,_İstanbul_(12966508105).jpg|Areal view of Taksim Square after the demolition of the [[Taksim Military Barracks|Taksim Artillery Barracks]]
File:Maxim_Night_Club,_İstanbul_(12966915284).jpg|Maxim Night Club, previously Cinemajik movie theater.
File:Taksim Square, İstanbul (12966579943).jpg|Taksim in the 1960s, with the Taşkışla Campus of [[Istanbul Technical University]] seen in the background.
File:Istanbul - panoramio (11).jpg|[[Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church, Istanbul|Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church]], near Taksim Square
File:Taksim_monument_and_mosque.jpg|[[Taksim Mosque]] was completed in May 2021
File:Taksim 4395.jpg|[[Atatürk Cultural Center]] at Taksim Square in 1999, with the entrance of the [[Taksim (Istanbul Metro)|Taksim station]] of the [[Istanbul Metro]].
File:Taksim Square, Istanbul (52151690752).jpg|[[Atatürk Cultural Center]] at Taksim Square in 2022, with the entrance of the [[Taksim (Istanbul Metro)|Taksim station]] of the [[Istanbul Metro]].
File:Atatürk Cultural Center in October 2022 (3).jpg|Renovated [[Atatürk Cultural Center]] at night
File:Atatürk Cultural Center in October 2022 (10).jpg|Renovated [[Atatürk Cultural Center]] at night
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}
{{Beyoğlu}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National squares]]
[[Category:Squares in Istanbul]]
[[Category:Tourism in Istanbul]]
[[Category:Architecture in Turkey]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Beyoğlu]]
[[Category:Entertainment districts in Turkey]]
[[Category:Transit centers in Istanbul]]