Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Anitkabir

Anitkabir. Photo by William. Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Anitkabir

Anitkabir is one of the most profoundly important sites in Turkey. It is the mausoleum of the former founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

He was the leader of the Turkish National Movement during the Turkish War of Independence.

He established impactful reforms that ushered Turkey into modern civilization.

Anitkabir is however not just a mausoleum, but also a spectacular feat of grand design and architecture, with symbolic historical significance for the Turkish nation.

This alone is worth a visit whenever you’re in Ankara, Turkey. Let’s now have a look at some of the top outstanding facts about Anitkabir.

1. A competition was held for Anitkabir’s architectural design

Anitkabir is not only historically significant, but it is also a grand feat of design.

It has been included in the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers’ list of the 50 civil engineering feats in Turkey.

It features groundbreaking projects in the first 50 years of the Chamber.

For its construction, a competition was held for the architectural project.

49 proposals from Turkey and several other countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria were submitted.

After meticulous reviews, the proposal from Professor Emin Onat and Orhan Arda was selected.

2. It is built on the hill site of Anittepe

Anitkabir, Anittepe. Photo by Puffin 11k. Wikimedia Commons.

Anittepe was formerly known as Rasattepe (observation hill). It is a hill overlooking the city of Cankaya, Turkey.

Centrally located, it could be seen from all parts of the city. Shortly after Mustafa’s death, and the resolution to build a mausoleum in his honor, this hill site was chosen for its construction.

Archeological studies and surveys were done, and ancient remnants related to the Phrygian civilization were unearthed.

They are preserved at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Construction of the initial stage was started in November 1944.

3. Anitkabir is the burial ground of the first two Presidents of Turkey

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1925. Photo sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

As stated earlier, the mausoleum was built in honor of the Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. His tomb lays there to date.

Another tomb on site is that of Ismet Inonu, a Turkish army general and the second president of Turkey. He died in 1973 and was laid to rest at Anitkabir.

His tomb is opposite the Ataturk Mausoleum. He was a close friend to Ataturk, and his condolence message upon his death is placed at the entrance of Ataturk’s tomb in the Hall of Honor.

Past burials include Cemal Gursel, an army general who served as the 4^th president of Turkey. His body was however later removed.

Turan Emeksiz, a Turkish university student killed in the 1960 street demonstrations was also once buried at the site. His body was later removed from Anitkabir.

4. The construction of Anitkabir took 9 years

A ceremony for the laying of the foundation was held in October 1944. The construction was done in 4 stages, which in total took 9 years to complete.

The first stage was the construction of the Lions Road supporting wall. It was completed in 1945.

The second stage comprised the mausoleum and the surrounding buildings up to 1950. The roads to the monument, lion road, placing the grand tombstone, and steps were done in the third stage.

Finally, construction of the Hall of Honor’s pavements, vaults, and its stone profiles was completed in the fourth stage. Construction was completed in 1953.

5. Anitkabir has four incredible main parts

A section of the Road of Lions, Anitkabir. Photo by Sanjageni. Wikimedia Commons.

These are the Road of Lions, the Hall of Honor, the Ceremonial Plaza, and the Peace Park.

Each of these has unique features, symbolic of the Turkish War of Independence, the life and legacy of Mustafa Ataturk, and the Turkish nationalistic spirit.

The Peace Park surrounds the monument, full of beautiful trees and shrubs. Road of Lions is a 262 meters long walkway towards the monument.

It has 12 pairs of carved statue lions on both sides, hence its name. The 24 lions in total are representative of the 24 Oghuz Turkic tribes. They are symbolic of both power and peace.

The Ceremonial Plaza is found at its end. It can accommodate up to 15,000 people.

The floor is made of colorful travertine and beautifully decorated with Turkish carpet designs.

6. Ataturk’s tomb is placed at the Hall of Honor

Anıtkabir (the mausoleum with Atatürk’s tomb) in Ankara, Turkey. Photo by A. Savin. Wikimedia Commons.

Entered through bronze gates, the Hall of Honor is one of the grand parts of Antikabir and the ultimate destination.

It is where Ataturk’s tomb lays. The tomb is situated under the symbolic 40-ton red- marble sarcophagus, in a special tomb room in the basement.

The pyramidal ceiling is inlaid with gold mosaics. The ground is decorated with red, green, and black marbles from Hatay and Adana. It is about 17 meters tall.

7. Anitkabir’s Peace Park has about 50, 000 decorative trees!

This park surrounding the monument is named in honor of Ataturk’s beloved slogan, ‘Peace at home, peace in the world’.

It is packed with about 50, 000 decorative trees and flowers donated from 25 countries.

They come close to around 104 different species.

Countries that donated them include the USA, Afghanistan, Germany, Austria, India, Iraq, Spain, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Canada, and Egypt, just to mention a few.

8. There are 10 symbolic towers on site

Male statue group at Anitkabir. Photo by Puffin 11k. Wikimedia Commons.

These are located within the Anitkabir site, in a symmetrical arrangement. Each of them symbolizes an ideal that influenced the foundations of the Republic of Turkey.

They are similar in design, rectangular-like and with pyramidal roofs. There are quotes inscribed in each tower, by Ataturk. They correspond with the theme of the particular tower.

The towers include the Independence tower, female statute group, male statue group, freedom tower, victory, peace, Mehmetcik tower, National pact, the 23 April tower, and the Tower of Reforms.

9. There is an Ataturk Museum at Anitkabir

Museum of Ataturk, women statue group at the entrance. Photo by Sanjageni. Wikimedia Commons.

It was opened in June 1960. The museum is located between the National Pact and Reform towers.

It contains some of Ataturk’s items, clothes, medals, decorations, and some of the gifts presented to him.

Some of his belongings were donated to the museum by his adopted children. These are on exhibition at the museum.

10. Anitkabir receives a record-high number of visitors

Ataturk’s Mausoleum, 10 November 2018. Photo by Vikipolimer. Wikimedia Commons.

The site is indeed not only a profound nationalistic feature for the Turkish nation, but also an awe-inspiring historical monument.

It is no surprise that Anitkabir receives numerous visitors all year round.

On 10 November 2007, around 550,000 people visited. It was the 69^th anniversary of Ataturk’s death.

The total number of visitors that year was recorded to be more than 11 million.