Ankara - Atatürk House

As it is known, due to the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire after the World War I, the house that Atatürk was born and spent his childhood years in, had remained outside of the country land. During the Lausanne discussions Atatürk’s wish to include Salonika within the borders of the country had not been realized and he had felt great sorrow from this.

The Executive Committee of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce gathered on 6 November 1980 for the whole country wide celebrations of the centennial birthday of the founder of our nation, the great leader Atatürk. In this gathering, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of its time, Mr. O. Galip Gencoglu, put forward a proposal for constructing in Ankara, the exact replica of the house in Salonika where Atatürk was born and spent his childhood and part of his youth with his friends, planning and deciding for an independent country with a free governing regime. This proposal was welcomed with a great emotion and excitement by the representatives of the Premier, Cemal Sümer and Polat Ögün, members of the Executive Committee Muin Eksi, Irfan Bozer, Sabahattin Parla, Ekrem Ekinci, Yasar Eraydin, Turhan Yalcin, Yakup Köseoglu, Halil Yilancioglu and the Secretary-General Mehmet Aydin. After the approval of the proposal of the Executive Committee with same emotion and excitement by the Chamber Board, the matter was presented to the chairmanship of the Centennial Celebrations Coordination Committee and necessary permission and approval was received. After that all the formalities were finalized and immediately went into action.

After the change of the Executive Committee headed by Galip Gencoglu, the new Committee under the chairmanship of Necdet Esen, the deputies Süleyman Akyol, Ahmet Cavusoglu and the members Sabahattin Parla, Abdurrahim Gümüs,Turan Kurdoglu, Ali Bitirim, Teoman Keskin, Erol Onar, Turgut Ergün and Ilhami Tuncay had continued under the same eagerness and sensitiveness. On 19 May 1981 at 17:00 hours the foundation of the house was laid by the Prime Minister Bülend Ulusu on a land allotted at the Atatürk Forest Farm that was established and very much loved by our Ata (Atatürk).
With the undertaking and leadership of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce and constructed by Nurol Construction Collective Company, this valuable work was opened by the State President General Kenan Evren.

Atatürk Room

The floor of the room was covered with a Berkofca Kilim in 3.86 x 2.82 metres dimensions. Kilim have white, green and black flower pattern on vermilion ground. On the right hand side, next to the entrance, a 4.40 by 2.15 metres of wooden panel covers the whole wall with a 0.90 metres bronze bust of Atatürk.

On the left-hand side of the bust there is a small desk covered with blue broadcloth. There is a memorial book on the desk for visitors to write their impressions.

A Salonika brazier placed in the middle of the room, and old style chairs were arranged in row across the other two walls. There is a pair of curtains on the windows; one of the pairs are of calico with lacework at the ends. The second of the pair is of red satin material with beige colour flowers and vase pattern on them. The cushions and the divan cover is of the same colour with lacework on their edges.

A brass kerosene lamp with white shade hanged to a hook on the ceiling finishes up the interior decoration of the room.

Museum Room

The appearance of the room which its door opens to the hall, comprises of Atatürk’s personal photographs and documents is like this:

In order to attract the attention of the visitors the floor of the room was not paved and windows held only plain calico curtains.

In the room there are only cabinets, a bookshelf and some photographs. The following articles are in display in the cabinets:

First Cabinet: A grey coloured suit, a cap and a casual shirt.

Second Cabinet: A swallow tailed suit, a black and white waistcoat, gloves and a top hat.

Third Cabinet: A black overcoat, a dressing gown and a pair of shoes.

Fourth Cabinet: Field Marshal’s hat, a scarf, a necktie, a calling card case, a cigarette case, a pair of prayer beads, a table bell, a coffe cup, a cane and a horse whip.

The other parts of the Atatürk House

Sections of the House

First Floor: (Stone entrance hall, pantry and the servants room)

From the main door entry is made to the entrance hall. The entrance hall is paved with Malta stones. A kerosene lamp was placed on the wall next to the door opening to the garden. On the same wall there is also a washbasin, and at the side of it, a pitcher and pan was placed. Two signboards, one in Turkish and one in Greek, on the wall saying not to be touched to the articles and furniture, and not to be smoking.

Pantry: Along the wall right-hand side of the door a wooden grain box, a meshed sieve, earthenware pots, chopping block, a hatchet, an ax and a large earthenware jar were placed. And along the wall across the door a dough trough, a bread pan, a tray, a large copper tray and a frying pan were placed. And on the wall where the door is a cauldron, copper food buckets and some other kitchen articles were placed.

Servants Room: A wicker mat was laid down on the floor of the room. A large grass cushion placed along the whole wall across the door under the window and it is covered with a yellow coloured sheepskin. Along the wall on the left-hand side of the door a 2.30 by 0.80 metres divan was placed. Divan and the cushion covers were made of a dark coloured fabric with flower pattern. And, along the wall on the right-hand side of the door, a pair of trunks of 0.98 by 0.50 metres were placed, with a mattress, a quilt and a blanket on top of them, all folded nicely. On one of the window casing there is an earthenware jug and a metal water cup; on the other one you can see a coloured kerosene lamp.

Second Floor: (Hall, Kitchen, Living Room and the Guest Room)

The Hall: The floor is laid down with a Sarköy kilim of 4.35 by 3.90 metres. The kilim is knitted with black, white, beige, brown, green, red and grey coloured materials and the centre is serrated, embroidered like a saw teeth. The other parts have stylised shapes. At the windows of the hall looking towards the street and the garden, first the calico sun curtains, and than silk fabric curtains with yellow leafed blue flowers on vermillion ground are hanged. The top and side edges of the curtains are bordered by velvet furbelow. The divan and the cushions are covered with the same colour of the curtains. The cushions and the divan are also covered with laced calico cloth coverings. In the centre of the hall an old style medium sized dark coloured round mahogany table can be seen. A Rumelia style embroidered tablecloth with flower pattern covers the table. A wardrobe will come into view when the stairs are climbed. The wardrobe with openwork has two yellow coloured doors and mirror, and three drawers. It is the same colour with the hall's ceiling, floor and the doors.

Bamboo chairs are lined up along the wall. An old style kerosene lamp with white lampshade is hanged to a hook in the centre of the ceiling.

Kitchen: You can see tinned copper pots and pans placed in the shelves among the other kitchen utensils.

Living room and bedroom: Opening to the hall and next to the kitchen, Atatürk’s mother’s living room and bedroom is furnished very plainly. A kilim, 3.30 by 3.35 metres and in similar colour and pattern to the one in the hall, is spread out to the floor. When you enter from the door, at right, in front of the three windows facing the street you can see a Rumelian style divan; and along in the left-hand side wall, an old style brass double bed with a red colour bedspread. On the head of the bed, a bag to hold Koran and a framed religious inscription are hanged to the wall. Two floor cushions and in front of them a Salonika brazier are placed between the bed and the divan. There is also a trunk covered with flowers embroidered blue colour cloth can be seen at the foot of the bed. Along the windows, above the calico sun curtains, green and beige coloured curtains with green branch pattern are hanged.

Divan and cushion covers are made of the same material. The calico sun curtains, cushion covers and the divan covers laces have clock pattern. An oval picture of Atatürk with moustache and a framed religious inscription are hanged on the wall right-hand side of the door.

Guest Room: The floor of the guest room, which opens to the hall, is covered with 3 by 2.50 metres Sarköy kilim. The kilim has green, black and white pattern on red ground. There is a big brass brazier placed on a base in the middle of the room. Along the right wall of the room a console, in the same colour of the ceiling, doors and the floor, with five drawers can be seen. An old style large mirror with gilding frame is hanged above the console.
A pair of lamp with blue spherical glass lampshades is placed on the console in front of the mirror. There is a coloured plate with a coloured glass jar and a glass placed in between those lamps.

A fabric covered couch with purple patterns is placed along the wall right across the door. A pair of old style end tables was placed in both sides of the couch. At the right side of the couch there is a small shelf fastened to the wall. There are three vases on this shelf.
Rumelian work embroideries with flowered edges were placed on the tables, end tables and the shelfs. A kerosene lamp fixed to a hook on the ceiling completes the furnishing of the room.

Third Floor: (Hall, Atatürk Room, Museum Room)

Hall: The floor of the hall is covered with a Sarköy Kilim. There is an oval table placed in the middle of the hall with a Rumelian work large napkin and a flowerpot.

A small wall console with a marble top, gilding sides and legs is placed along the wall right across the stairs. This console also has a Rumelian work large napkin on it. A mirror with gilding frame is placed on the console. A brass kerosene lamp with white lamp shape is set in front of the mirror.
There is a pitcher and a pan placed in front of the toilet door of the hall, and also a chest is in front of the wall facing the garden. Bamboo chairs are also placed along the wall.
You can see a Rumelian type of divan placed in front of the wall windows facing the street. The windows of the hall are covered with calico sun curtains, and wine colour fabric curtains with flower pattern. Furbelows and fringes in the same colour of the curtain cover the edges of the curtains.
Divan and cushion covers are in the same colour of the curtains. Lacework are placed on the cushions and the divan.

Address: Atatürk Orman Ciftligi (Atatürk Forest Farm), Gazi - Ankara

Telephone: +90 (312) 211 01 70 Ext. 222