Groundbreaking held for new Ankara courthouse

ANKARA

A groundbreaking ceremony for a new courthouse in the capital Ankara was held on Sept. 19, marking the start of a project to consolidate six existing ones into a single facility.

The project will bring together the main courthouse in the Sıhhiye district and five annexes. It will feature 588 courtrooms in the chief prosecutor's office, civil, criminal and enforcement buildings.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş and Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin were present at the ceremony.

In his speech at the event, Kurum said the new courthouse will “unite the scattered judicial service buildings in the city under the same roof,” thereby enhancing the efficiency of justice services.

“This facility, which we designed as ground plus five floors, is equipped with high-tech, energy-efficient, insulated and climate change-sensitive buildings that will set an example for the whole of Türkiye,” he said.

The courthouse is expected to be inaugurated in the first half of 2027, Kurum said, adding that it will boast the largest indoor area among all in Türkiye once completed.

The justice minister has previously said it will be the largest in the world.

Tunç said the primary objective of the new building, referred to as the "justice palace," is to streamline judicial operations by bringing together 1,107 judges and prosecutors to serve under one roof.

The project follows the completion of the construction tender late last year.

The chosen site for the project is situated on the former land of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in the capital's Yenimahalle district.

MİT’s new building, situated in the capital's Etimesgut district, opened in January. It is surrounded by a 3-meter concrete wall and barbed wire to prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access.

The new headquarters was built on a 5,000-acre plot with no other structures nearby.

Established by a law passed by the parliament in 1965, MİT has changed compounds multiple times over the years for various reasons.