Turkish President Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during a commemorative ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of failed coup at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Turkey on July 15, 2021. The failed coup against him brought on mass arrests and a sweeping political crackdown.
ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images
  • Turkey's Crescent Star military complex is set to be bigger than the US Pentagon.
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the compound would "strike fear" into the nation's enemies.
  • The compound is set to be completed by May 2023 and features a giant star- and crescent-shaped building at its center.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Turkey has started building a giant military compound for its defense staff dubbed the "Turkish Pentagon."

At the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the new compound – tentatively called the Crescent Star – would "strike fear" into Turkey's enemies, reported Nikkei Asia.

The whole complex will span a total of 135.6 million sq. ft. with an indoor area of 9.5 million sq. ft., and is set to accommodate up to 15,000 staff, said Erdogan, per local media outlet Daily Sabah.

In contrast, the US Pentagon has 6.5 million square feet of office space, and the entire floor area of the US Capitol building could already fit inside one of the Pentagon's five wedges, according to the US Defense Department.

An artist's impression of Turkey's Crescent Star complex shows that it's set to take on a similar ring structure like the Pentagon, but is also modeled after Turkey's flag.

A giant star-shaped building will serve as an exhibition area and the entrance to the compound, while another vast crescent-shaped building envelopes an outdoor area for ceremonies, according to Daily Sabah.

The complex is set to be completed by May 2023 and will be used by staff from the Turkish army and its Ministry of National Defense.

"We will be establishing a structure here which will strike fear to our enemies with its standing and give confidence to our friends," said Erdogan at the groundbreaking ceremony, per Nikkei.

The ceremony was held on the 99th anniversary of Victory Day, an occasion in Turkey marking one of its major battles in its war for independence in the 1920s.

The Crescent Star is the latest in Erdogan's mission to ramp up Turkey's military might, in a bid to boost his popularity before the 2023 elections while the country faces rising inflation, floods, and wildfires. Turkey has been focusing on its local production of arms and war equipment, developing drones with payloads made to rival the US Reaper airstrike drone, as well as its own warship design and construction.

President Erdogan's office for communications did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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