Turkey Republic Day (October 29): History of Cumhuriyet Bayramı

Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) is celebrated in Türkiye on October 29. On this day in 1923, the Grand National Assembly proclaimed the Republic of Turkey, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was elected its first President. It is the country’s most important national holiday.

Key facts
Date	October 29 every year
Turkish name	Cumhuriyet Bayramı
Year	1923
Founder	Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Capital	Ankara (declared October 13, 1923)
Holiday length	Half day on October 28 and full day on October 29
Centenary	2023
Hashtags	#29Ekim #CumhuriyetBayramı

From Empire to Republic

After the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was defeated and its lands occupied. In 1919 Mustafa Kemal landed in Samsun and organised a national resistance. The Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922) drove out occupying forces, and the Grand National Assembly in Ankara became the centre of the new state.

Date	Milestone
May 19, 1919	Mustafa Kemal lands in Samsun — start of the national struggle
April 23, 1920	Grand National Assembly opens in Ankara
August 30, 1922	Victory at Dumlupınar (now Victory Day)
November 1, 1922	The Ottoman sultanate is abolished
July 24, 1923	Treaty of Lausanne recognises the new Turkish state
October 13, 1923	Ankara becomes the capital
October 29, 1923	The Republic is proclaimed; Atatürk elected President
March 3, 1924	The caliphate is abolished
1934	Women gain the right to vote and stand in national elections

“Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation.” — motto displayed in the Turkish Grand National Assembly

Atatürk’s Reforms

• A new Latin-based Turkish alphabet (1928) and nationwide literacy campaigns
• Secular legal system and civil code (1926)
• Surname Law (1934) — the Assembly gave Mustafa Kemal the surname “Atatürk”, meaning “Father of the Turks”
• Women’s right to vote and be elected
• Modern education, industry and the Western calendar and measurement system

How Türkiye Celebrates

• State ceremony at Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara, led by the President.
• Red-and-white flags on every building, balcony and car.
• Parades and school performances with poems, songs and folk dances.
• Fener alayı — evening torchlight and lantern processions.
• Fireworks and concerts in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other cities; Istanbul’s Bosphorus often hosts a naval display.
• Turkish communities abroad hold receptions and events.

Turkish National Holidays

Holiday	Date
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day	April 23
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day	May 19
Democracy and National Unity Day	July 15
Victory Day	August 30
Republic Day	October 29

Greetings for Republic Day

Turkish	English
Cumhuriyet Bayramımız kutlu olsun!	Happy Republic Day!
Nice yüz yıllara!	To many more centuries!
Ne mutlu Türküm diyene!	How happy is the one who says “I am a Turk” — a famous Atatürk phrase

👉 Plan ahead: All October holidays

Frequently Asked Questions