Over a Million Visitors to Atatürk Mausoleum on November 10

On November 10, more than one million people visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. November 10, 2013 was the 75th anniversary of his passing, and official and unofficial ceremonies were conducted across the country to commemorate the day.

The mausoleum is more than just a historic landmark for the people of the Turkish Republic. Atatürk is a symbol of the founding of the republic, and the implementation of the principles and rules of democracy. President Abdullah Gül commented in a statement on November 9: “At a time when authoritarian regimes have gained strength, the foundation of the republic based upon national sovereignty demonstrated the trust that Atatürk and the Parliament put in democracy… Through the republic, the foundations of the transition toward democracy were laid.”

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli said that November 10 should be seen as a time when the nation remembered and shared Atatürk’s ideas – not as a day of mourning. On this day, the stately mausoleum, located in the capital Ankara, played host to a bevy of government and opposition party leaders. The mausoleum, known locally as Anıtkabir, became a living symbol of unity and democracy as a nation celebrated the ideals of its founder.

Few structures have the ability to serve as vessels for this kind of national celebration, but Anıtkabir is no ordinary mausoleum. It’s a massive tomb with a rich history, designed by architects Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Ahmet Orhan Arda – whose proposal beat 48 other entries from several countries in a competition held by the Turkish government.

The mausoleum is an iconic image from Turkish history, and is depicted on various Turkish banknotes from 1966 through 1987, and again from 1997 through 2009. It’s one of Turkey’s top 50 civil engineering projects, and it’s a beautiful example of the power and majesty of a well-designed mausoleum.