Turkish capital’s symbolic square renamed by municipality

ANKARA

AA Photo

The name of Ankara’s Tandoğan Square has been changed to Anadolu Square following a decision by the municipal city council. 

The name Tandoğan comes from former Ankara Gov. Nevzat Tandoğan, who was appointed in 1929. 

The city council passed the proposed name change based on votes by Justice and Development Party (AKP) members and independents. Republican People’s Party (CHP) members on the council objected to the proposal, while Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) members abstained from the vote.

Tandoğan Square is a prominent venue for rallies, including those by political parties, in the capital. 

Tandoğan served as governor and mayor of Ankara for 18 years. He is especially remembered for a famous remark in which he said, “If communism is needed in this country, we can also bring that in.”

The change aims to kill the memory of the society, Doğan News Agency quoted Chamber of Architects Ankara branch head Tezcan Karakuş Candan as saying April 14.

Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek is imposing his own views in stages by trying to change the names of places that are important for the city’s memory, Candan said, recalling earlier changes to the names of streets and avenues in the capital.

Candan vowed to launch legal action in order to overturn the municipal council’s decision.

Ankara Municipality earlier replaced the city’s old Hittite sun logo with an Islamic icon, featuring the image of the Kocatepe Mosque and the Atakule shopping center.