Island of Democracy and Freedoms

Democracy and Island of Freedom is one of the Princes’ Islands in Türkiye’s Sea of Marmara region, formerly known as Yassıada. island is particularly remembered for its role in key political events in Türkiye’s political history. After the 27 May 1960 coup, the then Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu, and Finance Minister Hasan Polatkan, along with other Democratic Party leaders, were tried by the Supreme Military Court established on the island and sentenced to severe punishments.

Fatin Rüştü Zorlu Cami, Island of Democracy and Freedoms

History

According to archival records, the oldest document related to the island dates back to the 4th century. This document states that Roman Emperor Valens exiled Armenian Catholicos Nerses I to the island during this period. In the 9th century, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theophilus ordered the construction of the Plati Monastery on the island. From that time onward, the island was used for seclusion and regarded as a spiritual site.

During the Ottoman Empire period, due to its remoteness and harsh winds, the island was generally uninhabited. In 1858, it was purchased by British Ambassador Henry Bulwer with the permission of Ottoman Sultan Sultan Abdülmecid. Bulwer commissioned the construction of two castles, one on the western and one on the central part of the island, laid out an extensive garden layout by planting vines, and built a harbor in front of the castles. However, the construction of the castles on the ruins of Byzantine-era monastic structures led to the significant destruction of these archaeologically valuable buildings.

In 1947, the island was purchased by the Turkish Sea Command. Multi-story buildings of eight to nine floors were constructed and older structures were restored. However, the island was abandoned to its fate in 1978 when the Turkish Navy Command relocated to Karamürsel. Over the years, various period period tourism programs were organized on the island, followed by the allocation of facilities to the Istanbul UniversityWater Products Institute and Faculty, after which these uses were abandoned within but time.

The island, known for centuries as Yassıada, was renamed “Island of Democracy and Freedoms” in 2013. Starting in 2015, comprehensive restoration and redevelopment efforts began across the island. The Island of Democracy and Freedoms has been transformed into a center hosting cultural and tourism activities and was opened to visitors on 27 May 2020 as an open-air museum and convention center.

Yassıada Trials

The most significant event that brought Yassıada to historical prominence and left deep impressions in public memory is the Yassıada Trials, established after the 27 May 1960 military coup to prosecute members of the Democratic Party.

27 May Museum, Anadolu Agency

The interim regime established a “High Court of Justice” to try military officials and politicians on the island, and civilian politicians were held in custody in its facilities during the proceedings. In these trials, a total of 592 individuals affiliated with the Democratic Party, which held power between 1950 and 1960, were prosecuted under 19 different charges. The trials on the island began on 14 October 1960. On 16 August 1961, former Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and Finance Minister Hasan Polatkan, along with Prime Minister Adnan Menderes on 17 September, were executed on İmralı Island in the southern part of the Sea of Marmara.

Sections of the Island of Democracy and Freedoms

The island’s historical association with the trials of the Democratic Party leadership has, after six decades, acquired a new dimension. To preserve collective memory, the island features numerous exhibitions, museum, squares, and other memorials commemorating the 1960 coup.

At the same time, the island’s ancient history has not been neglected. Byzantine-era walls, dungeons, and a water cistern have also been restored. The castle built by British Ambassador Henry Bulwer, who purchased the island in the 19th century, remains on the island. Additionally, the Island of Democracy and Freedoms includes the Fatin Rüştü Zorlu Cami, Katre Island Hotel, Oramiral Sadık Altıncan Library, and various restaurants.

The island, which hosts 17 distinct structures, primarily conveys to visitors the events surrounding the 1960 coup and its subsequent trials, while also narrating Türkiye’s struggle for democracy since the late Ottoman period and presenting the island’s history from the Byzantine era onward through its various architectural features.