Flag of Turkey

The flag of Turkey consists of a white crescent and a five-pointed star on a red background. The first use of the flag dates back to 1844, but it was officially adopted on May 29, 1936. The Turkish flag is an important symbol that represents the Turkish people's struggle for national unity, independence and honor. The flag is proudly raised throughout the country and especially on national holidays during demonstrations, official ceremonies, stadiums and other public places.

Meaning of the flag of Turkey

The flag of Turkey consists of white and red colors:

• White symbolizes peace, purity and freedom; 
• red - blood, the Turkish people's struggle for freedom and independence. 

The use of white and red together reflects the peaceful, yet warlike nature of the Turkish people. These colors also play an important role in Turkish culture. For example, during the Anatolian Seljuk period, red and white were often used in Turkish art. During the Ottoman Empire, the colors had the following meanings:

• red symbolized the blood of martyrs;
• white - the purity and chastity of soldiers.

Today, the Turkish flag is an important symbol of the Turkish nation's struggle for national unity, independence and honor.

In addition to colors, the flag contains symbols such as a crescent moon and a five-pointed star, which also have their own symbolic meaning:

• The white crescent of the flag symbolizes purity, light and peace and represents the national values and unity of the Turkish nation;
• the five-pointed star is one of the most striking symbols and an important element in the history of the Turkish nation. This symbol is traditionally used by Turks and is believed to represent five main geographical regions:
  • Black Sea region;
  • Central Anatolia;
  • Mediterranean region;
  • Aegean region;
  • Southeastern Anatolia.

The five-pointed star represents the unity and geographical diversity of the Turkish nation.

Interesting facts about the Turkish flag

• The tallest flag is located in Ankara's 50th Anniversary Park. It is 100 meters high;
• The largest flag is painted on the slope of Mount Taurus. Its area is 4532 square meters. About 5 tons of paint were used to recreate it;
• The flag of Azerbaijan and the flag of Tunisia are most similar to the Turkish flag. Only the Azerbaijani flag depicts an eight-pointed star, which was also on the Turkish flag until 1844;
• The flag of Turkey exists in different colors. East Turkestan uses blue instead of red. The flag of the Republic of Khatai is almost the same as the Turkish flag, except that the star is red with a white outline.

History of the Turkish flag

There are many rumors about the history of the Turkish flag. Some argue that the history of the Turkish flag dates back to the 1st Kosovo War, while others claim that it was used much earlier. The reason for this is that the moon and star on the Turkish flag were often used in Turkish and Islamic history. The flag used today was first raised after the 1st Kosovo War.

The first battle for Kosovo took place in 1389 between the Ottoman Empire and several Turkish principalities and the Balkan alliance led by Serbia. The war ended in victory for the Ottoman Empire, but thousands of people died in the war. According to legend, the moon and star reflected in the pools of blood that accumulated on the ground after the battle became the symbols of the Turkish flag. In addition to this legend, several different sources claim that on the day of the battle, July 28, 1389, a celestial event took place and Jupiter and the Moon aligned to form the Turkish flag.

It is not known how accurate the information is, but the use of the Turkish flag after this war was found in the 18th century in the Ottoman Empire, that is, during the reign of Selim III. The fact that the flag is approximately 400 years old makes us question the authenticity of the rumors about the Battle of Kosovo. If we look at the history of the Turkish flag only with reasoned conclusions, the Turkish flag was first used by Selim III in the 18th century in a form closest to its current appearance. 

In 1844, by the decision of Abdülmejit during the Tanzimat period, the eight-pointed star on the Turkish flag became a five-pointed star. With the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, the shape of the Turkish flag was determined by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on May 29, 1936. Then, on January 25, 1985, the size of the Turkish flag was determined by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Turkey.