15 Temmuz Meydanı & Monument

The Democracy and Republic Square

Officially known as 15 Temmuz Demokrasi ve Cumhuriyet Meydanı, this open plaza is Rize's principal public gathering space. Diagonal striped crosswalks and rows of potted trees frame the wide pedestrian expanse, and the 15 Temmuz Monument stands on its eastern edge as a permanent tribute to Turkish democracy.

A Circular Municipal Landmark

At the center of the square rises the Rize Municipality Square Social Facility, a distinctive domed, circular pavilion that anchors the surrounding streetscape. Its curved glass frontage and radial pathways make it one of the most recognizable modern structures in downtown Rize.

Gateway to Turkey's Tea Country

Rize sits amid the lush, terraced hillsides of Turkey's Black Sea region and is widely regarded as the country's tea capital, supplying the leaves behind nearly every cup brewed nationwide. Around the square, yellow taxis and blue dolmuş minibuses weave along the boulevards, linking the plaza to the wider port city beyond.