Personalities on the Turkish Lira (2025)

How much attention do we pay to the banknotes we constantly use in daily life? When they come into our hands, we may be concerned with their only value, but we do not know or curiosity the names and identities of the people depicted on them. Yet, these banknotes we carry in our pockets are not merely instruments of payment; they are also important documents that shed light on Türkiye’s history, culture, and science heritage. The banknotes, whose printing and issuance authority has been delegated by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) to Center Bank, feature national and international values figures who have left their mark on history.

Figure 1. Reverse of the 5 Turkish Lira Banknote

The 5 TL banknote features Ordinary Professor Doctor Aydın Sayılı. On the reverse of the 5 Turkish Lira banknotes issued in 2009, the atomic structure, the sun system, DNA and the first era cave images are depicted, with Professor Doctor Aydın Sayılı positioned in the center.

Aydın Sayılı is a globally recognized academic in the history of science. He earned his doctorate in the history of science at Harvard University and was the first person to complete a doctoral dissertation on the history of science in World. He was a scientist who embraced science as a way of life. He also dedicated considerable effort to the development of the Turkish language, coining Turkish equivalents for foreign terms. For example, he introduced active-active, passive-passive, and intellectual-düşünümsel like. He was invited to remain in Harvard to teach, but he chose to return to his homeland to serve it. He explained the importance of science with the phrase: “Science is the backbone of the civilized world. The most advanced societies in civilization will be those most committed to science.”

Figure 2. Reverse of the 10 Turkish Lira Banknote

The 10 TL banknote features Türkiye’s greatest mathematician and scientist Cahit Arf. The reverse of the 10 Turkish Lira banknotes issued on 1 January 2009 displays a portrait of Cahit Arf and a segment of the formula known as the “Arf Invariant.” Born in 1910 in Thessaloniki, Cahit Arf led a life filled with numbers and formulas.

Cahit Arf’s interest in mathematics was sparked during his fifth year at school in İzmir by a teacher who encouraged him to solve Euclidean geometry problems. His exceptional ability to solve mathematical problems that his classmates could not handle attracted the attention of his teachers, leading his family to send him in 1926 to France to attend St. Louis High School in Paris. He completed his three-year high school education in two years and returned to Türkiye in 1928. He finished his higher education at the École Normale Supérieure in France in 1932. After returning to Istanbul, he taught mathematics at Galatasaray High School and later worked as an associate professor candidate at Istanbul University’s Faculty of Science. Cahit Arf played a major role in the establishment and development of TÜBİTAK, founded in 1963, and served for many years as Chairman of its Science Board.

Arf made significant contributions to mathematics and science by identifying concepts arising in the classification of quadratic forms of fields, which led to terms bearing his name: “Arf Invariant,” “Arf Rings,” and “Arf Closures.” In addition, he developed the Hesse-Arf theory with the German mathematician Helmut Hesse.

Figure 3. Reverse of the 20 Turkish Lira Banknote

On the reverse of the 20 Turkish Lira banknote issued in 2009 by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, Architect Kemaleddin and one of his major works, the Rectorate Building of Gazi University, are depicted. Mimar Kemaleddin, also known as Ahmed Kemaleddin, is one of Türkiye’s most important architects. Throughout his duration, he signed many significant works and became the foremost representative of national architectural thought.

Ahmed Kemaleddin was born in 1870 in Kadıköy, Istanbul. His interest in engineering influenced his education, and he enrolled at what is now Istanbul Technical University (Geometry-i Faculty of Political Science Mektebi). He graduated first in his class and traveled to Germany to further his architectural studies. In 1908, he founded the first professional association for architects and engineers, the “Ottoman Society of Architects and Engineers.” Mimar Kemaleddin worked intensely throughout his life, producing numerous works, mostly in Istanbul. After remaining in Jerusalem to oversee restoration work on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, he returned to Ankara and designed many buildings for the new capital.

In Istanbul, he designed the Çamlıca Girls’ High School and mosques in Bostancı, Bakırköy, Bebek, and Yeşilköy. He also designed the Laleli Harikzedegan (Aircraft) Apartments and several of Istanbul’s historic Foundation Han buildings. In Ankara, he designed the Rectorate Building of Gazi University, the Gazi Teacher Training Institute, and the State Railways Directorate buildings. Mimar Kemaleddin Bey became one of the most important figures in Turkish architectural history through his achievements and works. Modern played a vital role in the construction of modern Türkiye.

Figure 4. Reverse of the 50 Turkish Lira Banknote

The 50 Turkish Lira banknote is the only one featuring a portrait of a woman. It bears the image of Fatma Aliye, Türkiye’s first female philosopher. Fatma Aliye is also known in Turkish literary history as the “first female novelist.” Born on 22 October 1862 in Istanbul as the eldest daughter of the Ottoman statesman, jurist, and historian Ahmed Cevdet Pasha and Rabia Adviye Hanım, she began her career in 1889 by translating George Ohnet’s novel “Volonté” into Turkish under the title “Meram.”

In 1892, she published her first novel, “Muhadarat,” and most of her novels focused on emotional themes. In addition to prose, she wrote poetry. Her poems often explored themes of love, sacrifice for love, patriotism, education, and Allah love. Many of her works were translated into foreign languages and attracted attention both within and outside Türkiye.

She made significant contributions to the participation of women in social life. Along with her sister Emine Semiyye, she co-founded the together Compassion-i Nisvan (Association for the Protection of Women). Through this association, she aimed to support women’s education. During her lifetime, she actively effort consumption for women’s rights and illuminated this issue through her writings.

Figure 5. Reverse of the 100 Turkish Lira Banknote

The image on the 100 Turkish Lira banknote is of Itri. His real name is Buhurizade Mustafa. He acquired the nickname Itri due to his involvement in floristry and fruit cultivation. Itri is an Arabic word meaning “fragrant.” Buhurizade Mustafa Efendi is regarded as the founder of Classical Turkish music. He possessed profound theoretical knowledge of music. He composed works in various genres of Turkish music, including Peşrev, saz semais, profit, composition, and ilahis.

Among his most famous compositions are the “Segah Sacrifice Bayramı Tekbiri,” recited collectively during Holiday prayers; the “Segâh Salât-ı Ümmiye,” recited during visits to sacred relics; and the “Segâh Ayin-i Şerif-i Mevlevi.”

Yahya Kemal described Buhurizade Mustafa Efendi in the following verses:

Our elders called him great Itri,

The master of our own music;

So many times he stirred the people, here and there,

The dawn’s celestial singer;

On many a holiday’s early morning,

As the sky echoed with cannon fire,

He proclaimed the Sultan’s Tekbir.

Figure 6. Reverse of the 200 Turkish Lira Banknote

The portrait of Yunus Emre appears on the 200 Turkish Lira banknote. Yunus Emre is one of Türkiye’s greatest poets. Very little thing is known about his life, but it is believed he lived during the second quarter of the 13th century and the first quarter of the 14th century. Some researchers believe he lived in Sarıköy, while others suggest he was from Karaman. The possibility that he lived in Sarıköy is considered stronger, based on a reference in a work by Hacı Bektaş Veli. Yunus Emre is said to have died in 1320 at the age of eighty-two. It is understood from verses in his works that he met Mevlana.

Yunus Emre inscribed his name in world culture and civilization history as a poet of love and Sufism people. His philosophy elevates virtues such as non-violence, avoiding harm to any living being, humility, tolerance, and wisdom. In 1991, UNESCO declared the year “Yunus Emre Year of Love.”