Anıtkabir
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Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. It is located in Ankara, Anıttepe quarter. It was designed by architects Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Orhan Arda, who won the competition held by the Turkish Government in 1941 for a "monumental mausoleum" for Atatürk out of a total of 45 international proposals.
The site is also the final resting place of İsmet İnönü, the second President of Turkey, who was interred there after he died in 1973. His tomb faces the Atatürk Mausoleum, on the opposite side of the Ceremonial Ground.
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[edit] Architectural Properties
The period of the Turkish architecture in between 1940 and 1950 is known as The Era of Second National Architecture. This period is characterized by mostly monumental, symmetry oriented, cut-stone clad buildings, with great emphasis given to detailing and workmanship in construction. Anıtkabir carries the same characteristics of this period, and is considered by many to be the ultimate monument of the era. In addition, Anıtkabir features Seljuq and Ottoman architectural and ornamentation features. As in the example of the external walls and eaves all around the towers, are the Seljuq style borders, known as sawtooth in Seljuq cut-stone art. Cut stone ornamentation, namely passion flower and rosette used in some other parts of Anıtkabir (on Mehmetçik Tower, for example) can also be found in Seljuq and Ottoman architecture.
[edit] Construction
The hill chosen for Anıtkabir was Rasattepe (Observation Hill), which was a central location in Ankara and had an unobstructed, general view of the city. Archeological excavations unearthed artifacts belonging to Phryigan civilization, and those were carefully excavated and put on display in the museum of Anatolian Civilizations, in Ankara.
The construction of Anıtkabir, which took nine years and spanned four stages, commenced on October 9, 1944 with the ceremony of laying the first stone of the foundation.
The first stage of the construction, comprising the preparatory excavation and the construction of the retaining wall of the Lions Road, started on October 9, 1944 and completed in 1945.
The second stage of the construction, comprising the mausoleum and the auxiliary buildings surrounding the ceremonial ground, started on September 29, 1945, and completed on August 8, 1950. At this stage, due to the problems related to the mausoleum's masonry and concrete structure foundations, some revisions had to be made. At the end of 1947, the excavation and insulation of the mausoleum foundation was completed and the steel reinforcements for the new 11 m. high concrete foundation, capable of resisting any kind of settlement of the ground, had come to near completion.
The Entrance towers, most parts of the road network, the orchard installations, the plantation works and main parts of the irrigation system were also completed at this stage.
The third stage of the construction was the construction of the roads leading to the mausoleum, the Lions Road, and the ceremonial ground; the mausoleum's upper-level stone pavement, the grand stairs, placement of the big tombstone, and the installation of electricity, plumbing and heating systems.
The fourth and last stage of construction was the construction of the Hall of Honours pavement, vaults under side linings, and Hall of Honours perimeter stone profiles and fringe decorations. The fourth stage was completed on September 1, 1953.
[edit] Revision of original plans
The Anıtkabir project originally had a vaulted ceiling above the mausoleum carried by the perimeter columns. On December 4, 1951, the Government inquired the architects of the possibility of shortening the time of construction by lowering the 28 m. high ceiling of the Hall of Honours. After studying the subject, the architects concluded that it was possible to cover the ceiling with a reinforced concrete slab instead of a stone vault. This change had reduced the weight of the ceiling and, eliminated certain constructional risks.
[edit] Surface reliefs and stones
All stones and marbles were brought in from various parts of Turkey, to be a representation of Turkish People's devotion to the founder of the republic. Easy to process porous travertine with various colours is used on external cladding of the concrete surfaces and marble is used for the inside surfaces of the mausoleum.
White travertine that was used for sculpture groups, for lions figures and the mausoleum colons, is brought in from Kayseri and white travertine used inside the towers is brought in from Polatlı and Maliköy. Red and black travertine used for paving the ceremonial ground and floors of towers were brought in from Kayseri. Yellow travertine brought in from Çankırı was used for building the Victory reliefs, Hall of Honours external walls and perimeter colons of the ceremonial ground. Red, black and cream colour marbles used on the floor of the Hall of Honours were brought from Hatay, Adana and Çanakkale, and for the internal walls, tiger-hide patterned marble from Afyon and green marble brought from Bilecik. Monolithic tomb stone weighing 40 tons was brought from Adana and the white marble covering sides of the sarcophagus were from Afyon.
[edit] Layout
With all its qualities, Anitkabir is one of the finest examples of architecture of its era, covering approximately 750,000 square metres. It is divided into two parts as The Peace Park and The Monument Block.
[edit] The Peace Park
Inspired by Atatürk's famous phrase "Peace at home, peace in the world", Anıtkabir rises above in the Peace Park, formed with plants received from all over the world and Turkey. Many plants and trees are brought in or sent from Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, USA, United Kingdom and former Yugoslavia. Today, in Peace Park there are more than 50 thousand trees and ornamental plants of 104 different species and origins.
[edit] The Monument Block
Anıtkabir Monument Block has three sections:
- The Mausoleum
- The Lions Road
- The Ceremonial Ground
[edit] The Mausoleum
The most prominent part of Anıtkabir is The Mausoleum. The dais for the speakers are positioned in the centre of the 42 step ground stairs leading up to The Mausoleum. In front of this marble dais, which is facing the ceremonial ground and decorated with circular geometric patterns, Atatürk's saying "Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation." are inscribed.
The Mausoleum with the dimensions 75 x 52 x 17 m. has a rectangular plan and is surrounded by 8 columns at the front and near facades, and 14 columns at the sides, each one is 14.40 m. high.
The grave room is situated right under the symbolic tomb stone placed in the first floor of The Mausoleum, and Atatürk's corpse is buried in the ground floor of The Mausoleum. It has an octagonal plan in Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles, and its pyramidal ceiling is decorated with mosaics in geometrical patterns. Floor and walls are paved and clad with red, black and white marbles. In the middle of the grave room is the marble sarcophagus aligned towards the south, in the direction of Mecca. Brass cups containing soil from all provinces of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are placed around the marble sarcophagus.
[edit] The Lions Road
This 262 meters long pedestrian alley was designed to brace visitors for Atatürk's great presence, and as such, has 24 lion statues in seating position at both sides. The lion statues, made in the old Anatolian civilization Hittite art style, symbolize power and peace.
[edit] The Ceremonial Ground
The Ceremonial Ground is situated at the end of the Lions Road. The Ground is 129 m. long and 84 m. wide, and can accommodate 15,000 people. The Ground's floor is decorated with 373 rug and kilim patterns, and was made of travertine in various colours.
[edit] Towers, Statues, Museum
Within the Anitkabir site there are ten towers situated in a symmetrical arrangement. They are built to symbolize the ideals that influenced the Turkish nation and the creation of the state. The towers are similar in terms of planning and structure: they are rectangular, close to a square, with pyramidal roofs like small obelisks. Bronze arrow heads are placed at the top of the roofs as in the old Turkish traditional nomad tent. Geometric ornamentations, inspired by the old Turkish kilim patterns, are superimposed in fresco technique. The inside compositions of the towers are symbolizing the names of the towers and there are also inscriptions of Atatürk's sayings.
[edit] Independence Tower
The relief on the internal walls of the Independence Tower, situated at the right side of the Lions Road, shows a young man standing straight and holding a sword with both hands while an eagle is perching on a rock beside him. The eagle represents power and independence in mythology and in Seljuk art, and the young man with the sword represents the Turkish nation defending its independence.
[edit] Freedom Tower
Inside the Freedom Tower, on the left side of the Lions Road, a relief shows a figure of an angel holding a sheet of paper and a rearing horse next to it. The angel figure symbolizes the holiness of freedom and the sheet of paper symbolizes the Declaration of Freedom. The horse figure is the symbol of both freedom and independence.
[edit] Women Statues
There is a group of three women statues with national dresses in front of the Independence Tower. Two women at the sides are holding a large wreath reaching to the ground. This wreath, made up of grain sheafs, represents the abundant country. The woman on the left with a cup in her stretched hand is asking for God's compassion for Atatürk, and the woman in the middle, covering her face with her hand, is crying. This group represents the Turkish women's pride, solemnity and determination, even in the deepest grief of losing Atatürk.
[edit] Men Statues
This group of statues made up of three men, is situated in front of the Freedom Tower. The man at the right with the helmet and coat represents the Turkish soldier, next to it with a book in his hand, the Turkish youth and intellectual, and just behind it, with local dress, the Turkish peasant are represented. By the grievous expressions in the faces of all three statues, solemnity and willpower of Turkish nation are expressed.
[edit] Mehmetçik (Turkish Soldier) Tower
Mehmetçik tower is situated on the right-hand side of the end of the Lions Road. The relief on the exterior facade depicts Mehmetçik leaving home for the front. In this composition, a sad but proud mother holding her hand on the shoulder of her son and sending him to the war for country, is described. There is a bookstore and a gift shop in the tower for visitors interested in buying articles about Anıtkabir and Atatürk.
[edit] Victory Tower
The dates of the nation's most important three victories and Atatürk's words about these victories are inscribed on the walls of this tower. Inside the tower, the gun carriage, which carried Atatürk's coffin from Dolmabahçe Palace to Sarayburnu and handed over to the Navy on November 19, 1938 is on display.
[edit] Peace Tower
A relief composition expressing Atatürk's principle of Peace at home, peace in the world is inscribed inside the tower walls. In this relief, farmer peasants and beside them, a soldier figure protecting them by holding out his sword, are depicted. This soldier symbolizes the Turkish Army, the strong and genuine keeper of the peace, symbolizing people living their daily lives in peace, secured by the Turkish Army.
[edit] April 23 Tower
On the inside walls of the tower, is a relief depicting the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on April 23, 1920. The woman standing in this relief is holding a paper in her hand with an inscription of the date. The key in her other hand is symbolizing the opening of the Assembly.
Atatürk's Cadillac car, used between 1936 and 1938, is on display in this tower.
[edit] Reforms Tower
This tower is the extension of the museum and Atatürk's garments are exhibited here. The relief inside the tower wall shows a weak hand holding the torch about to extinguish, symbolizing the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. Another, strong hand raising a radiating torch to the skies symbolizes the reforms with which the new Turkish Republic and Ataturk raised the Turkish Nation to the level of contemporary civilization.
[edit] Misaki-i Milli (The National Pact) Tower
The tower is at the entry to the museum (see below) and the relief inside this tower symbolizes the binding in unity. The relief shows four hands joining on a sword hilt. This composition symbolizes the nation's common oath to save the Turkish Country.
[edit] Anıtkabir Atatürk Museum
Anıtkabir Atatürk Museum opened on June 21, 1960. Atatürk's personal items, his wardrobe, and some of the gifts presented to him are on display in this museum. Ataturk's medals, decorations and some personal items donated to the museum by his adopted children are also exhibitedd in the museum.
[edit] Gallery
 Lions Road entry |
 Lions Road first steps |
 Turkish Men at the Lions Road entry |
 Turkish Women at the Lions Road entry |
 the Lions Road |
 Ceremonial guard at mausoleum entrance |
 the Mausoleum |
 passageway around the C.Ground, detail |
 Tomb of İsmet İnönü |
 relief |
 relief |
 Anıtkabir from a distance |
