Türkiye’s ‘Pentagon’ slated for 2025 completion
In the heart of Ankara, a monumental structure is taking shape that symbolizes Türkiye’s growing military ambitions and strategic aspirations.
Tentatively named “Crescent Star,” the state-of-the-art facility will gather the Defense Ministry and the country’s military forces at what is said to be one of the most advanced military command centers in the world.
The foundation of the sprawling complex, dubbed “Türkiye’s Pentagon,” was laid by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in late August 2021. It is slated for completion in 2025, according to a report by the Turkish Sabah newspaper.
Erdoğan envisions it as a fortress that will unify Türkiye’s defense leadership and project the nation’s military prowess on the global stage.
The complex will be distinguished by its unique design, size and advanced technological features as it approaches its final stages.
It is located on a sprawling 12.6 million square meter site in Etimesgut, Ankara. It will feature 890,000 square meters of enclosed space, housing the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and all of the branches of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in one campus.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed last year but faced delays due to the reallocation of resources by the contractor, Rönesans, to areas struck by devastating earthquakes in February 2023.
Erdoğan has publicly described the project as a structure that will “instill fear in enemies and confidence in allies.” The complex will surpass the Pentagon in size.
It will have office buildings surrounding a vast crescent-shaped area at the center and a star-shaped building that will serve as an entrance and exhibition hall on the tip of the crescent. The central, open-air area will host a space for ceremonies.
The complex will be located near the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) headquarters on a road connecting Ankara to the central province of Eskişehir.
The headquarters will not only be outfitted with cutting-edge technology but will also adhere to environmentally conscious practices.
In preparation for its completion, the Defense Ministry and the Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Ministry have signed an adaptation protocol to address climate change. This includes planting 13,000 saplings across a 20-hectare area within the complex by the end of the year.
Future efforts will continue to align to achieve net-zero emissions by balancing fossil fuel emissions with carbon-absorbing green spaces, creating a climate-resilient campus.
Türkiye built Defense Ministry and General Staff buildings in the 1930s, the army headquarters in 1937, and the joint buildings of the navy and air forces in 1960. The air force moved to a separate building in 1985.
“Changing defense needs required all different branches of the army and the ministry to serve under one roof … We concluded that we needed such a center, especially at a time of heightened cybersecurity,” Erdoğan said at the ground-breaking ceremony.
“We need to give a different signal to the world regarding defense.”
