ANITKABIR
Unlike many famous leaders, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk never requested a monumental tomb for himself. But the adoration and respect shown to him by Turkish people would never have seen him buried in an ordinary place. An international project competition was held for the architecture of a monumental mausoleum for Ataturk after his death. The project of two Turks, Emin Onat and Orhan Arda, was finally selected.
The construction of a huge mausoleum similar to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was started on the summit of Anittepe, 6 years after his death in 1944 and finished in 9 years. On November 10, 1953 Ataturk was moved there in a gun carriage, from his previous grave at the Museum of Ethnography.
The Mausoleum was believed to represent the Turkish Nation under the name and personality of Ataturk. Therefore it included statues, inscriptions and reliefs on topics from Turkish history and Ataturk's life.
The richness of the Turkish Nation's mosaic is proven and symbolized once again with the materials and styles employed in Anitkabir. The dominant theme is geometric simplicity. Anitkabir, with all its surrounding parks covers an area of 15,000 m² / 3.7 acres. The main construction material is yellow travertine from Cankiri. The entrance to the complex is by way of a stairway located between two identical towers of Independence and Liberty. The tops of these towers are pyramidal, each having a bronze spear, as was the custom in old Turkish war tents. In front of these towers there are two group statues of people. On the left are three men, a soldier, a villager and a student each symbolizing in turn defense, productivity and education, the three pillars for the existence of a nation. The statues on the right are three women. The one at the back is crying silently symbolizing people's grief for the death of Ataturk. The foremost couple are holding a wreath, the symbol of fertility, where the bowl also has the same function. The pathway extending from the statues to the Victory Square is called the Lions' Way. This path was designed to be especially long so as to create a sense of greatness in visitors' minds before reaching to the Mausoleum. On both sides there are 24 Hittite-style Anatolian lions indicating defense. There are altogether ten towers in Anitkabir each having a simple look both from inside and outside. The other towers are Mehmetcik, Defense of Rights, Republic, Reform, National Pact, April 23 Peace, and Victory.
The Victory Square is surrounded by colonnades on three sides and the remaining one side faces the main building. The transition from the square to the main section is via a 33-step stairway. To the left of the stairway is a big relief showing scenes from the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief. Ataturk's famous command from this battle is emphasized here: "Armies, your first destination is the Mediterranean. Forward!" The relief on the right depicts the Battle of Sakarya. Both battles were fought in the War of Independence against the Greek armies.
The flag is the symbol of the Turkish Nation and the pole is a gift from a Turk who lives abroad. It is a single piece of steel, 5,000 kg / 11,000 pounds in weight and 33 m / 110 ft high. The crescent at the top is plated with 22-carat gold.
The main building is called the Hall of Honor. It is 32 m / 105 ft wide, 60 m / 200 ft long and 20 m / 65 ft high. The ceiling is covered with gold mosaics, the floor and walls with colorful marbles from Bilecik. The symbolic sarchophagus is a monolith marble and weighs 40 tons. The actual grave is downstairs. This is the first place where foreign statesmen and their delegations visit when they come to Turkey. Next to the Sakarya Battle relief is the small Ataturk Museum with displays of his personal belongings, medals, gifts presented to him and his photographs. Ismet Inonu, the second president of Turkey is buried between the Victory and Peace Towers.
Bu haber 20/05/2010 tarihinde eklenmiştir.
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