ANKARA

Marking the 97th anniversary of the Republic Day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that the country's historical legacy is its biggest strength.

"Our greatest strength is our historical legacy. Without preserving this legacy, neither July 15 [defeated coup attempt] nor the value of our Republic can be understood," Erdogan said at the opening of the National Struggle Exhibition at the Nation's Library in the capital Ankara.

FETO and its US-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated a defeated coup in Turkey on July 15, 2016, leaving 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured. They are also accused of extensive infiltration of state institutions.

Erdogan went on to say: "Our past experiences show that the quest for an independent Turkish nation will not end until the homeland, flag and adhan [call to prayer] is protected."

Ahead of the opening ceremony, Erdogan visited Anitkabir, mausoleum of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

He later received greetings at the presidential complex on the occasion of Republic Day.

On Oct. 29, 1923, then-commander of the War of Independence Ataturk officially proclaimed Turkey's status as a republic, and was elected as its first president.