Atatürk Airport National Garden
| Atatürk Airport National Garden | |
|---|---|
| Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi | |
Interactive map of Atatürk Airport National Garden | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 40°59′07″N 28°48′30″W / 40.9852°N 28.8084°W |
| Area | 1.2 km² |
| Opened | 1 November 2025 |
| Operated by | Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change (TOKİ) |
| Status | Under construction |
Atatürk Airport National Garden (Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi) is a large urban park in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul, Turkey. It was developed on the former site of Atatürk Airport, which closed in 2019 after the opening of the new Istanbul Airport. The project forms part of the Turkish government's nationwide "Nation's Gardens" (Millet Bahçeleri) initiative to expand public green space.[1]
History
The site originally served as Atatürk Airport, Istanbul's primary international airport for several decades. On 7 April 2019, commercial flight operations were transferred to the newly built Istanbul Airport, leaving the former airport complex largely unused.
In 2022, the Turkish government announced a major redevelopment plan to convert the airport grounds into a national garden. The Housing Development Administration of Türkiye (TOKİ) oversaw the project, which included demolition of certain airport structures and extensive landscaping. A tender for construction was held in April 2022.
The project experienced political and legal debate, including a ruling by the Council of State (Danıştay) challenging aspects of the tender process.[2] Despite these issues, construction continued in phases. The first phase, consisting of nearly 500,000 m² of green space, was completed in 2023.
Atatürk Airport National Garden officially opened on 1 November 2025 with a public ceremony attended by national and local officials.[3][4]
Design and features
At 1.2 million square meters, Atatürk Airport National Garden is one of the largest public parks in Türkiye. The design includes:[5][6]
- Over 20,000 newly planted trees and more than 1 million m² of lawn.
- A 2.5 km artificial watercourse known as the Ab-ı Hayat stream.
- Nine main entrances distributed around the former airfield.
- Seven landscaped hills symbolizing historical districts of Istanbul, including Sarayburnu, Süleymaniye, Edirnekapı, and Çemberlitaş.
- An array of recreational facilities, including walking and cycling paths, tennis courts, football pitches, playgrounds, and skating areas.
- Social facilities such as exhibition halls, a public library, workshops, a soup kitchen, a marketplace, and food venues.
Disaster preparedness
The park is designed to function as a large-scale disaster assembly and emergency response area. Its extensive open spaces and supporting infrastructure, including hangar buildings, water reservoirs, cooking facilities, sanitary units, and renewable energy systems powered by wind and solar installations, enable it to accommodate more than 165,000 people simultaneously in the event of a major emergency, reflecting Istanbul’s seismic risk and national disaster-management planning.[7][8][9]
Sustainability
Sustainability features of the garden include:[10][11]
- On-site solar and wind power generation,
- Water reservoirs and irrigation recycling systems,
- Preservation and transplantation of mature trees,
- Use of local plant species throughout the landscape.
See also
External links
- Official project page (TOKİ)
- Istanbul Municipality environmental projects
References
- ^ "Atatürk Airport site reopens as major urban park - Türkiye News". Hürriyet Daily News. 2 November 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Duvar English (12 February 2024). "Turkish State Council cancels Urbanization Ministry's nation garden project for Atatürk Airport". Duvar English. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Atatürk Airport National Garden has been opened! President Erdoğan's message for 'Istanbul.'". Haberler.com. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Merkezi, Haber (1 November 2025). "Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi bugün ziyarete açılıyor!" [Atatürk Airport National Garden opens to visitors today!]. TÜRKINFORM Haberler | Güncel, Son Dakika Haberler (in Turkish). Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi vatandaşların hizmetine açıldı". TOKI. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ AA, Daily Sabah with (2 November 2025). "Atatürk Airport National Garden opens as Türkiye's largest urban park". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Türkiye's largest city garden to be opened soon: Minister". www.today.az. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ Deggin, Cameron (3 November 2025). "Ataturk Airport National Garden opens in Istanbul". Property Turkey. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Atatürk Airport National Garden has opened! It has everything you could wish for". Haberler.com. 1 November 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ DİNÇ, Ece İrem (7 November 2025). "Atatürk Airport Nation's Garden Opens Its Doors". Tourism Explorer. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ admin (21 November 2025). "Biggest Urban Park in Turkey". Turkish Connextions. Retrieved 7 January 2026.