Drivers in Istanbul face road closures in the Fatih area on two days next week as the city prepares for the Republic Day parade on 29 October, the Istanbul Governorship said on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) marks the proclamation of the Republic in 1923, and this year is the 103rd anniversary. Istanbul’s main parade is held on Vatan Avenue, the wide boulevard formally named Adnan Menderes Boulevard that runs from the Edirnekapı city walls towards Aksaray.
When and where
Roads will close from 05:45 until the end of the programme on Saturday, 24 October, the day of the official rehearsal, and on Thursday, 29 October, the day of the parade itself. The rehearsal was brought forward from 25 October because the KPSS public-sector recruitment exam is held that day.
Closed sections include Adnan Menderes Boulevard (Vatan Avenue) in both directions, the D-100 highway in both directions, entrances from Edirnekapı, and 10. Yıl, Oğuzhan, Sofular, Halıcılar, Akdeniz, Akşemsettin and Ordu avenues. Southbound traffic on Atatürk Boulevard, Keçeci Meydan Street and Hal Yolu towards the boulevard will also be stopped, as will all side streets feeding onto Vatan Avenue, including Tatlıpınar, Kaleboyu and Sulukule avenues.
Alternative routes
The governorship advised drivers to use Turgut Özal Millet Avenue, Fevzipaşa Avenue, Atatürk Boulevard, the D-100 and the O-3 Hal Yolu as alternatives. Because some of these roads are partly closed in one direction, drivers should follow signs and police directions on the day. Traffic police teams and tow trucks will be on duty at key points along the route.
Anyone heading to the airport or the historic peninsula early on either morning should allow extra time. On Republic Day itself, the Marmaray, the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme line and the airport metro will be free to ride, which may be the easier option. Forecasters have also warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in Thrace and Istanbul, and the new Topkapı Palace Darphane museums open on 24 October, close to the area. For more on the city, see our guide to living in Istanbul.
Sources
Photo: James Sestric / Unsplash License, via Unsplash
