Ataturk Airport National Garden has officially fully opened in Istanbul, welcoming its first visitors in what is a major advancement for urban green space in the city. Led by the Housing Development Administration (TOKI), the project is referred to as “The Breath of Istanbul” and was opened initially with a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
An opening day for families
On the first opening day of the communal garden, thousands of Istanbul residents arrived to enjoy the green surroundings and tranquil environment. Families and visitors engaged in various outdoor activities including games for children, an exhibition hall, public library, soup kitchen, restaurant, and several workshops.
About Ataturk Airport National Garden
The garden is built on a plot of land measuring 1,215,000 square metres of green space and is now the largest city park in Turkey with 20,399 trees in total. The garden is designed to accommodate up to 165,000 visitors at any one moment and has a parking lot with space for 4,000 vehicles.
The garden has nine entrances and offers an extensive range of recreational social facilities, walking paths, green areas, and infrastructure for disaster readiness. Renewable energy installations are powered by wind and solar plants, while 19 restrooms are evenly distributed throughout the garden.
Seven hills within the grounds of the garden are designed to symbolise Istanbul landmarks including: Sarayburnu, Fatih, Yavuz Selim, Suleymaniye, Edimekapi, Kocamustafapasa, and Cemberlitas.
Sports facilities within the garden
Supporting diverse community engagement and socialising, the park has been strategically designed with ample sporting facilities including: 12 tennis courts, 11 basketball courts, 8 playgrounds for kids, 6 volleyball courts, 6 football pitches, 2 skateboarding parks, and lots more. An 85,371 square metre walking trail and 18,750 square metre hiking trail both move alongside a 2.5km long Ab-I Hayat Stream.
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