Military parade on Beyazıt Square

An infantry formation is parading on Beyazıt meydanı in front of the Beyazıt Mosque on the occasion of Cumhuriyet bayramı. An officer heads the formation, saluting and looking to the left towards the University Gate of which only a part can be seen. He is followed by three soldiers wearing light uniforms and soft caps. The soldier in the middle is carrying the Turkish flag trimmed with a golden fringe. His two escorts each carry a bayonet. Behind them follows a long column of officers in rows of six. All are wearing the same dark uniforms with white belts and hard caps. To their left, soldiers in elaborate uniforms, some holding bayonets, secure the parade area. In the background, a university building is seen on the left, and Beyazıt Mosque on the right.The parading soldiers are most probably students of the military academy. The soldiers in the elaborate uniforms in front of the gate are probably guardsmen attached to the state and military leaders inspecting the parade. With the exception of 1934 and 1938, when the official parade was restricted to Taksim Square, the parade in Istanbul during the twenties and thirties followed a well-established scheme: The parading soldiers and students would gather and form up in front of Darülfünun (İstanbul Üniversitesi), thereafter starting the parade on Beyazıt meydanı at around 11 a.m. The parade would then set out to Hagia Sophia, cross Galata Bridge and finally reach Taksim Square via İstiklal Caddesi