The 563rd anniversary of the conquest of then-Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453 was marked with a grandiose event Sunday on the Yenikapı shores of present-day Istanbul.President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım were among the high-profile guests at the event, and the conquest was re-enacted with the aid of audio-visual technology and hundreds of actors dressed as Ottoman troops.Adressing the crowd at the event, Erdoğan said even though the conquest of Istanbul took place 563 years ago, the implications of this event still lingered.Touching upon the Syrian crisis as well, he said: "The Syrian regime, Daesh and PYD terror groups have become a trio which support each other in Syria; one cannot survive without the others. Unfortunately, the countries we call allies are turning a blind eye to the situation, and even supporting it."A huge crowd flocked to the event venue located near the city's ancient walls, which once served as a safeguard for the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire against attacks from the sea. This year's ceremony, held under the supervision of the Turkish Presidency, is expected to attract more than a million people. Along with other means of mass transport located near the square, Istanbulites arrived in the square via ferries from designated locations on the Marmara Sea and the Bosporus coastline. Roads leading to Yenikapı Square, which is located on Istanbul's historic peninsula on the European side, were closed to traffic on early Sunday.

Before the ceremony, the military band of the Presidential Guard Regiment, and a 563-strong Ottoman military band "Mehteran" made performances.

The battles during the conquest will also be performed by 500 actors on the worldtarget="_blank"'>