Bandırma Ferry makes overland journey to Atatürk’s landing site
The Bandırma Ferry, one of the most enduring symbols of the founding journey of modern Türkiye, completed its overland relocation to a new site on July 12, drawing crowds of residents who gathered along the route to witness the rare operation.
As part of the Open-Air Independence Square Museum Project, the historic vessel is being transported approximately 3.5 kilometers from its current home in Doğupark to Tütün Pier, the very spot where modern Türkiye’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk first stepped onto soil after arriving in the northern province of Samsun on May 19, 1919.
That landing is widely regarded as the opening chapter of the Turkish War of Independence, a struggle that ultimately culminated in the proclamation of the republic in 1923.
In recognition of the date’s historic significance, the authorities later dedicated May 19 to the nation’s youth and it is now commemorated annually as the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.
