Presidential ‘complex’ shows Turkey’s greatness, Erdoğan says

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The huge and controversial new presidential palace in Ankara, which hit international headlines with its 1,150 rooms at its inauguration, is a sign of “Turkey’s greatness,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

“There can be no waste in presentation [of the state]. Presentation is very important. When they see this place, foreigners say ‘This state is a great state,’” Erdoğan said on July 7, speaking at a fast-breaking iftar meal at the palace with the participation of around 400 invitees. 

Erdoğan has referred to the huge palace as the “Presidential Külliye” since its unveiling in October last year.

“Külliye” refers to an Ottoman architectural concept of a complex with a central mosque surrounded by a series of ancillary buildings such as hospitals, libraries and public fountains.

Erdoğan said they had constructed a permanent structure that would also serve his successors, stressing that the property did not belong to him and it was the public’s property. 

He had officially opened a mosque inside the premises on July 3. 

A congress hall and Turkey’s biggest library are also currently under construction at the site. The library, which will hold a total of five million books, will reportedly be open to students 24 hours a day.