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Beyond the riot zone: Why Taksim Square matters to Turks - CNN.com
(CNN) -- It's a congested, sprawling transport hub surrounded by 1950s architecture and predominantly used by commuters or tourists to cross the city of Istanbul.
But proposed changes to Taksim Square have seen it become the flashpoint for protests that have swept through Turkey in the past week, leaving thousands injured and focusing the world's attention on the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Taksim has been no stranger to violence. In 1977, at least 34 protesters died during May Day clashes with police. May 1 rallies in the square were banned in 1980 and were only allowed to legally resume in 2010. On May Day this year, there were riots after city authorities again refused to grant trade unions and youth groups permission to demonstrate in Taksim, blaming construction work being carried out in the square.
Professor Ersin Kalaycioglu, professor of political science at Istanbul's Sabanci University, said significantly, Taksim Square was also known as "republic square," because it was built by the Republic of Turkey's founding fathers to commemorate the war of liberation. "Taksim Square is connected to Istiklal Caddesi -- Independence Avenue -- and Cumhuriyet Caddesi -- the Avenue of the Republic. So there is a lot of symbolism that has to do with the Turkish Republic," he said.
Read more: Amid protests, Erdogan returns to Turkey
The Turkish word "taksim" translates as "divide" and Kalaycioglu said Taksim Square was so-named because the area used to be the site of Istanbul's main reservoir, where the water was divided up.
READ MORE... Beyond the riot zone: Why Taksim Square matters to Turks - CNN.com
(CNN) -- It's a congested, sprawling transport hub surrounded by 1950s architecture and predominantly used by commuters or tourists to cross the city of Istanbul.
But proposed changes to Taksim Square have seen it become the flashpoint for protests that have swept through Turkey in the past week, leaving thousands injured and focusing the world's attention on the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Taksim has been no stranger to violence. In 1977, at least 34 protesters died during May Day clashes with police. May 1 rallies in the square were banned in 1980 and were only allowed to legally resume in 2010. On May Day this year, there were riots after city authorities again refused to grant trade unions and youth groups permission to demonstrate in Taksim, blaming construction work being carried out in the square.
Professor Ersin Kalaycioglu, professor of political science at Istanbul's Sabanci University, said significantly, Taksim Square was also known as "republic square," because it was built by the Republic of Turkey's founding fathers to commemorate the war of liberation. "Taksim Square is connected to Istiklal Caddesi -- Independence Avenue -- and Cumhuriyet Caddesi -- the Avenue of the Republic. So there is a lot of symbolism that has to do with the Turkish Republic," he said.
Read more: Amid protests, Erdogan returns to Turkey
The Turkish word "taksim" translates as "divide" and Kalaycioglu said Taksim Square was so-named because the area used to be the site of Istanbul's main reservoir, where the water was divided up.
READ MORE... Beyond the riot zone: Why Taksim Square matters to Turks - CNN.com
