The Ataturk Maouselum, part of the Anıt Kabir (literally "memorial tomb"), is the mausoleum of Mustaga Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. The Anit Kabir encapsulates both architectural impressiveness and historical significance, making it one of Anakara's must sees.
Anit Kabir's construction spanned 9 years and commenced in 1944. It consists of four main parts - the Road of Lions, the Ceremonial Plaza, the Hall of Honor (the location of Atatürk's tomb) and the Peace Park that surrounds the monument.
Inside of the ceremonial plaza you can find several museum rooms displaying memorabilia and personal artifacts of Ataturk, giving visitors a sense of the famous leader's life. The Hall of Honor is an impressively lofty structure, lined in marble and decorated with mosaics. An immense marble cenotaph stands at the northern end of the hall above the actual tomb.
A leader of the Turkish nationalist movement, Ataturk serves as the nation's most famous hero for his outstanding political and military leadership. After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, he spearheaded the Turkish nationalist movement in the Turkish War of Independence, which eventually culminated in the creation of an independent Turkish nation in 1923.
During his time as president of Turkey, Ataturk embarked on a serires of political, economic, and cultural reforms, eventually transforming the former Ottoman Empire into a modern and secular nation-state.
He died on November 10, 1938, at the age of 57.
