Construction works at the new Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), one of the landmarks of Istanbul's Taksim Square, continues within the scope of the coronavirus measures.

The steel construction of the auditorium, the most striking part of the project with its spherical design, has been completed, clearly unveiling its function as an opera hall.

The new AKM was recently photographed from the air. The images show that steel construction processes have been completed and workers have made the connections. The construction is scheduled to be completed on Dec. 24 this year.

The new building will have a 2,500-capacity opera hall, a theater hall for 800 people, a 1,000-capacity conference room, a cinema room for 285 people, a theater for 250 people, an exhibition hall, a library and a parking lot for 885 cars. On the top floor of the new building, there will be a restaurant with a view extending from the second bridge to the Historic Peninsula.

The exterior of the new AKM building will double as a giant screen, allowing people in Taksim Square to watch live theater, ballet and opera performances.

Traffic to the Center will use an underground tunnel, while the front section of the building will be closed to traffic.

The architect of the new AKM is Murat Tabanlıoğlu, the son of Hayati Tabanlıoğlu, who designed the first AKM building.