Turkish Embassy

Gazing up at the Turkish Embassy here in Prague, one might wonder about the stories it holds. The Turkish Embassy stands as a testament to a century of diplomatic ties between Turkey and the Czech Republic. It’s been at its current location, Na Orechovce in Prague 6, since 2003. Interestingly, the embassy’s history here goes back to a time before the Czech Republic as we know it existed. The relationship started with Turkey and Czechoslovakia on October 11, 1924. Initially, Turkey sent a Minister Plenipotentiary. The first was Vasif Bey. Later, in 1963, the relationship elevated to ambassadorial level. H.E. Mr. Cemil Vafi became Turkey’s first ambassador to Czechoslovakia. The Turkish Embassy in Prague continued to be accredited to Slovakia even after Czechoslovakia’s dissolution in 1993. This arrangement lasted until the Turkish Embassy opened in Bratislava in 1994. Today, the Turkish Embassy in Prague also houses the Office of the Armed Forces Attaché and the Office of the Commercial Counselor. All consular services for the Czech Republic are handled directly by the embassy’s Consular Section. There are also two Honorary Consulates, one in Brno and another in Ostrava. A lesser-known aspect of Turkish-Czech history involves World War I. The Ottoman 15th Army Corps, originally from Çanakkale, was sent to Galicia to support Austro-Hungarian forces against the Russian army. A significant number of these soldiers, around 5,000, lost their lives on the Galician front. Of these fallen soldiers, about 1,100 now rest within the borders of the Czech Republic, in memorials located in Pardubice, Hodonin, and Valasske Mezerici. The Turkish Embassy stands as a symbol of a complex, intertwined history, marking not only diplomatic relations but also the shared sacrifices of war. This embassy, more than just a building, represents a bridge between two nations with a history spanning a century.