About
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, passed away on November 10, 1938. His body was taken from Dolmabahçe Palace on November 19, 1938, placed on a gun carriage and transported to Sarayburnu. From there, it was carried by the torpedo boat Zafer to the battleship Yavuz, then to İzmit, and finally transported to Ankara via the White Train. Upon arrival at Ankara Train Station, the casket was placed on a gun carriage -now exhibited in the Peace Tower at Anıtkabirand moved to the front of the Second Grand National Assembly. Following a state funeral, Atatürk’s body was temporarily interred at the Ethnography Museum on November 21, 1938. His remains rested there for 15 years, until their transfer to his final resting place at Anıtkabir on November 10, 1953, after the completion of its construction on Rasattepe. Anıtkabir is composed of two main sections: the Monument Block and the Peace Park. Flanking the Lion Road, which begins at the Tandoğan Gate, are 24 lion statues symbolizing the 24 Oghuz tribes. The Hall of Honor, which forms the core of the monument, features colorful marble-covered floors and walls. Its ceiling is adorned with mosaics inspired by 16th- and 17th-century Turkish carpet and kilim motifs. Beneath the symbolic red marble sarcophagus lies the actual burial chamber. Within the Anıtkabir complex are ten towers, each reflecting a different theme: Independence, Liberty, the Mehmetçik (Turkish soldier), Victory, Peace, April 23, National Pact (Mîsâk-ı Millî), Revolution, Republic, and Defense of National Rights. The museum, entered through the National Pact Tower, was opened on June 21, 1960 under the name “Anıtkabir Atatürk Museum”. On August 26, 2020, it was renamed the “Atatürk and War of Independence Museum.”