Anıtkabir which is one of the symbols of
Ankara and
Turkey is the mausoleum of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the
Turkish Republic. The body of
Atatürk who died at the
Dolmabahçe Palace was temporarily buried at the
Ethnographic Museum in
Ankara and was transferred to
Anıtkabir in 1953. The
Anıtkabir project has been defined with an international contest in 1942. At the end of the contest the project of
Asst. Prof Orhan Arda and
Prof. Emin Onat was awarded the first prize and implemented.
Anıtkabir which is situated in
Anıttepe district of
Ankara has been erected on a rather high hill of the city. In the construction of
Anıtkabir travertines has been used as building material and these stones were supplied from the surroundings of
Ankara. The marbles used have been brought from
Hatay,
Afyon and
Çanakkale.The symbolic sarcophagus of
Atatürk is on the eastern side of the Hall of Honor. His grave is in the lower level of the Hall of Honor. The sculptures and reliefs situated in
Anıtkabir belong to famous sculptors such as
Zühri Müritoğlu,
Hamdi Bora and
Nusret Duman. The grave of
Atatürk is in the foundation of a room beneath the mausoleum standing in the main building. Visitors who reach the
Lion Road lined by statutes of
Hittite lions after a wooded area arrive at a 80x130 m wide square where ceremonies are held. Right in front of the building which is known as the hall of Honor and where the
mausoleum of Atatürk stands there is the grave of
İsmet İnönü, the
second president of the Republic of Turkey. The complex further accomodates towers named as “
Misak-ı milli” , “
23 Nisan”, “
Zafer” , “
İnkilap”, “
Mehmetçik” and “
Cumhuriyet .
The Anıtkabir museum is located in the southeast of the
Ceremony Square. In the museum private belongings of
Atatürk and gifts given to him are displayed.
Atatürk’s private library is also open to visitors at another corner of the museum.
Anıtkabir is open from 9.00 to 17.00 everyday except Mondays.
