Island of Democracy and Freedoms

Democracy and Freedoms Island is one of the Princes' Islands located in Türkiye's Sea of Marmara. The island, formerly known as Yassıada, is particularly remembered for significant events in Türkiye's political history. After the May 27, 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 High Court of Justice established on the island and received severe sentences.

^{Fatin Rüştü Zorlu Mosque,} Democracy and Freedoms Island

According to archival records, the oldest document related to the island dates back to the 4th century. This document indicates that the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens exiled Patriarch Nerses I to the island during this period. In the 9th century, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theophilos had the Plati Monastery built on the island. From that time onward, the island was used for retreat and regarded as a spiritual site.

During the Ottoman Empire, due to its remoteness and harsh winds, the island was generally unsuitable for settlement. In 1858, Yassıada was purchased by British Ambassador Henry Bulwer with the permission of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid and served as the site for various construction projects. Bulwer commissioned two castles, one on the western and one on the central part of the island, erected trellises to create an extensive garden, and constructed a small harbor in front of the castles. However, the construction of these castles atop Byzantine-era monastery ruins led to the significant destruction of these historically and archaeologically valuable structures.

In 1947, the island was purchased by the Turkish Naval Forces Command. Multi-story buildings were constructed and older structures were restored. However, after the Turkish Naval Forces Command relocated to Karamürsel in 1978, the island was abandoned. Over the years, periodic tourism programs were organized on the island, followed by the provision of educational facilities by the Istanbul University Marine Products Institute and Faculty, but these activities were eventually discontinued.

Long years of being known as Yassıada ended in 2013 when its name was officially changed to “Democracy and Freedoms Island.” Starting in 2015, comprehensive restoration and redevelopment efforts began across the island. Democracy and Freedoms Island has been transformed into a center for cultural and tourism activities and was opened to visitors on May 27, 2020 as an open-air museum and congress center.

The most significant event that brought Yassıada to the historical stage and left deep impressions in public memory was the establishment of the Yassıada Courts to prosecute members of the Democratic Party following the May 27, 1960 military coup.

^{May 27 Museum,} Anadolu Agency

The junta established a “High Court of Justice” to try government officials and politicians on the island, and civilian politicians were held in custody in the island’s facilities during the trials. A total of 592 defendants affiliated with the Democratic Party, which held power between 1950 and 1960, were tried under 19 separate cases. The hearings on the island began on October 14, 1960, and on September 16, 1961, Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and Finance Minister Hasan Polatkan were executed, followed by Prime Minister Adnan Menderes on September 17, on İmralı Island in the southern part of the Sea of Marmara.

The island’s recent association with the trials of the Democratic Party government has, after six decades, acquired a new dimension. To preserve collective memory, the island features numerous exhibitions, museums, 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 cisterns have been restored. The castle built by British Ambassador Henry Bulwer, who purchased the island in the 19th century, also remains on the island. In addition, Democracy and Freedoms Island houses the Fatin Rüştü Zorlu Mosque, the Katre Island Hotel, the Admiral Sadık Altıncan Library and restaurants, among other structures.

The island, which hosts 17 distinct structures, primarily conveys to visitors the events surrounding the 1960 coup and 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.