Türkiye on Saturday marked the 86th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, with a series of events across the country.
At 9:05 a.m. local time, the exact moment when Atatürk passed away in Istanbul in 1938, sirens blared, ships sounded their whistles, traffic stopped, and people stood still in solemn tribute to honor the late leader.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his cabinet members participated in a state ceremony at Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk in the capital Ankara.
In Istanbul, traffic on the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, also known as the Bosphorus Bridge, which spans the Bosphorus Strait, came to a standstill as citizens stepped out of their vehicles to observe the moment of silence.
Many lined up at the entrance of the Dolmabahce Palace to visit the room where Atatürk passed away and lay carnations on his bed.
Atatürk declared the republic in 1923, ending the rule of the Ottoman Empire after the Independence War, and served as the first president until 1938, when he died at the age of 57.