The Story of Turkish Flag and It’s Meaning

The Turkish flag is the official flag of the Turkish Republic and represents an important symbol of national unity, consisting of the color red with a star and crescent in the center.

The Turkish flag is referred to as Albayrak (the red flag) and also referred to as Alsancak (the banner) in the İstiklal Marşı ”Turkish National Anthem”

History of the Turkish flag

The flag of Turkey is an extension of the flag of the Ottoman Empire, which was officially adopted as the flag of the empire in 1844 in the Tanzimat period during the reign of Sultan Abdul Majid.

After its declaration in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish Republic decided to preserve the last flag of the Ottoman Empire.

The roots of the crescent and the star in the Turkish flag goes back to the dream of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Gazi, who saw a moon emerging from the chest of the judge, the father of his wife, into the sky until the moon became a full moon.

And the story continues that the moon, after becoming a full moon, descended in Osman’s chest. Then a tree emerged from its cross that grew to shade the entire universe, as the mountains were under its shade, as well as the Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, and Danube rivers emerged from its trunk, and the leaves of this tree instantly turned into swords that were taken by the wind to Istanbul (Constantinople).

Some other sources also indicate that the crescent and star are symbols of the month of Ramadan and Islam.

The Meaning of Turkish flag

It is accepted that Star and crescent was reflected on blood of soldiers because of that, colour of  Turkish flag is blood colour. so many people spilled their blood to save the government. For this reasons, Turkis flag is blessed and valuable. For example, Turkish flag is put only on the martyr’s coffin because only the people, who laid down their lifes, have the honour of that.

It is thought that crescent represents islamic religious and star represents independence. Whatever happens, Turkish flag is a reassuring symbol both for the people living in Turkey and people of friendly nations, which approach to Turkey as friendly.

Turkish flag law

The Turkish Flag Law was issued on May 29, 1936, which legally specified the geometric measurements and the degree of red color in the flag of Turkey.

The Turkish flag law main aim is to provide the respect and reverence for the flag, as it is illegal to use the Turkish flag in a torn, incomplete, patchwork, dirty, pale, wrinkled, or in any way that would harm the moral value it deserves.

It is also prohibited to place the flag on tables or the stage or use it as a cover for any purpose except for official purposes.

It is strictly forbidden to place the flag in places to sit or stand, or to wear it as a Full uniform.

Uses of the Turkish flag

The Turkish flag appears abundantly on holidays and national days, such as Republic Day and Victory Day, and the flag is also used in the funerals of martyrs and prominent state officials.

The flag is a fundamental symbol of national unity in Turkey, where the flag is highly respected and revered by the people for its heritage and history.