Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk in Ankara
Nearing to the end of our journey in Turkey, we reached the city of Ankara.Whenever you visit Ankara, you must give Anitkabir a visit. Anitkabir literally means "memorial tomb" and it serves as the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. There is a map at the entrance of the complex and you will need to walk through a long pedestrian walkway before you reach the main square where the mausoleum is located.
The long pedestrian walkway is called the Road of Lions because it is lined on both sides by twelve pairs of lions. The lions represent both power and peace. Nearing to the main square, right in front of the Freedom Tower, there is a statue group made up of three men. The man on the right with the helmet and coat represents a Turkish soldier. The man on the left with a book in his hand represents a Turkish youth and intellectual while the man behind in village clothing represents a Turkish peasant.
The first tower that I saw when I entered the main square is the Mehmetcik Tower because it is situate right at the end of the Lion's Road. The relief on the wall outside depicts a mehmetcik (i.e. Turkish foot soldier) leaving home for a war. You can find a bookstore and a gift shop in this tower if you are interested in buying articles about Anitkabir and Ataturk.
There are guards at every corner of the square and it is really amazing that they managed to stand still even though they are sweating under the hot sun. I think there is a changing guard procession which is held every hour.
The size of the main square of Anitkabir is huge. The main square is named the "Ceremonial Plaza" and it was designed to accommodate 15,000 people. Wikipedia mentions that the floor is decorated with 373 rugs and kilim (Turkish carpet) patterns.
Even though Anitkabir is a mausoleum, it is also a popular site for pre-wedding photoshoot. I suppose you can't get the experience of taking picture in your wedding gown in front of a historical place like Anitkabir elsewhere.
And now, let's check out what's inside the Anitkabir. The Hall of Honor is the iconic symbol of Anitkabir and also the location of Ataturk's tomb. Inside the other halls, you will be able to see a collection of Ataturk's personal belongings like his cars and uniforms.
The Anitkabir is really one extremely remarkable architectural engineering project in Turkey and it is no wonder that it manages to draw so many visitors everyday.
The Anitkabir is really one extremely remarkable architectural engineering project in Turkey and it is no wonder that it manages to draw so many visitors everyday. Anitkabir opens daily from 9AM to 5PM so do visit the amazing place when you are visiting Ankara.
