Tuesday, 25 October
Every country has a historic figure — a hero, if you will — who stands head and shoulders above all others; someone instrumental in changing the future of that country. For Turkey, that person is Gazi Mustafa Kemal Paşa — better known by the last name he was given in 1934 by the Turkish National Assembly: Atatürk (Father of the Turks). As the leader of the War of Independence, and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, he has a special place in the hearts of the people of the country.
This morning, after breakfast at home, we headed out to do some sightseeing. First on the list: a visit to Atatürk’s mausoleum — Anıtkabir, which translates as “Memorial Tomb.”
Forty-two steps lead up to the Mausoleum, the centerpiece of the memorial complex.
I was last at Anıtkabir in 1986 when I came to visit Mui, who was on a 15-month, unaccompanied assignment at the US Embassy in Ankara (he was serving in the US Air Force at the time). I’d also visited the memorial complex numerous times as a university student. Each occasion was a memorable experience. Today was no different. I have to admit that the beautiful fall weather added greatly to our visit. As did the fewer than expected number of visitors, most of whom stayed just long enough to pay their respects before moving on to other sites around Ankara.
The white marble platform, used for ceremonial speeches, is inscribed with Atatürk’s words, now considered the motto of the turkish republic:
Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation.
Atatürk died at İstanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace in 1938. His body was brought to and temporarily interred at the Ethnography Museum in Ankara until the construction of a memorial tomb could be completed. He was reinterred at Anıtkabir on 10 November 1953, the 15th anniversary of his death.
Anıtkabir’s design was chosen following an international competition launched in 1941. After considering various recommendations, the National Assembly settled on Rasattepe (Observation Hill), later re-named Anıttepe (Monument Hill) as the location of the complex. Construction began in 1944 and was completed in four stages nine years later. The material used in the construction was brought from various locations around Turkey to represent the people’s love and devotion to the founder of modern Turkey.
Consisting of four primary areas — Alley of the Lions, Ceremonial Plaza, Hall of Honor (location of Atatürk's tomb) and Peace Park — the memorial complex covers an area over 8 million square feet (750,000 square meters).
Scanned From the brochure: (2) Alley of the Lions; (3) Tower of Liberty and the “Men’s Group” Statues; (4) Tower of Independence and the “Women’s Group” Statues; (5) Ceremonial Plaza; (6) Tower of Mehmetçİk; (7) Tower of Victory; (8) Tomb of İsmet İnönü; (9) Tower of Peace; (10) Tower of April 23 (National Sovereignty); (11) Flag Pole; (12) Tower of National Pact; (13) Tower of Revolution; (14) Tower of Republic; (15) Tower of Defense of Rights; (16) Mausoleum.
[for more information, click here]
 |  |
Left: View of the Mausoleum of the First President of the Turkish Republic from
the tomb of the Second President of the country.
Right: the Changing of the Guard at the Mausoleum always attracts a crowd.
The ceiling of the marble Hall of Honor is decorated with golden gilt mosaics.
The symbolic sarcophagus stands at the far end of the grand hall.
[a 24-hour video feed allows a glimpse into the tomb room, which is otherwise closed to visitation.]
A visit to AnItkabİr is a school outing looked forward to by all kids.
 |  |
Left: Representatives from all branches of the Armed Forces stand guard at the mausoleum.
Right: Aylin & Murat at AnItkabİr.
Glimpse of the Ceremonial Plaza from the Mausoleum.
Reliefs representing two of the great battles of the War of Independence decorate
the wall on either side of the stairs leading up to the Mausoleum.
A closer looks at the reliefs representing the Battle of Sakarya
and the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief.
 |  |
The eight towers of the ceremonial plaza are connected with colonnades.
The gun carriage that carried Atatürk’s body to AnItkabİr (historic photo below)
is on display in the Tower of Victory.
 |  |
The 24 lion sculptures that line either side of the 860-foot (262 m) long Alley of the
Lions are representative not only of peace and power, but also of the 24 Turkic
tribes of Central Asia. The 2-inch (5 cm) gap between the pavers makes for a difficult
walk up the path. That design was intended to ensure that visitors approach the
mausoleum with their heads bent, seemingly in respect and contemplation.
 |  |
Two groups of statues greet visitors that approach AnItkabİr via the Alley of the Lions.
In the “Women’s Group,” two of the women are holding a sheaf of grain that represents the
fertile lands of Anatolia. The woman holding the cup is praying for Allah’s blessing on Atatürk.
The woman in the center is crying at the loss of Atatürk. The “Men’s Group” consists of a helmeted
soldier representing “Mehmetçİk,” the turkish soldier. The man with the book represents
the Turkish intellectual and youth, and the man in the rear represents the Turkish peasant.
A recent addition to Anıtkabir is the Atatürk and War of Independence Museum. Entered through the Tower of National Pact, the museum consists of four sections. In the first, Atatürk’s personal belongings are exhibited. In the second, scenes from the Battle of Gallipoli and the War of Independence are depicted in dioramas. The third area is dedicated to the national struggle to become a Republic and the subsequent reforms. The final section exhibits books from Atatürk’s extensive private library.
Unfortunately, photography is prohibited in this most excellent museum, so I can only provide a link to the virtual tour.
The shape of Turkey is represented by the Turkish flag, made with red and white gravel;
purple pansies represent the Black, Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean seas;
and grass represents Turkey’s land borders to the east and southeast.
We spent three hours wandering around the memorial complex and the museum. One could easily spend an entire day here and still not do justice to all there is to see and experience. But with so many other sites to see, we moved on after a quick snack at the onsite café.
The rest of the day’s activities … in the next post.
