Atatürk Mansion ready for 100th anniversary

TRABZON

The restoration process has come to an end at the Atatürk Mansion in the northern province of Trabzon, where modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stayed and wrote his will.

Some handwritings and figures related to Çanakkale were found on the table in the living room of the mansion, which will be opened to visitors on the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.

“The writings on the table in the living room are very striking. We will evaluate them together with historian. There is an article about Çanakkale there," Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Murat Zorluoğlu said.

Atatürk Mansion, one of the important historical and tourist places in Trabzon, was closed to visitors on Sept. 21 last year for the survey and restoration initiated by Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality. There were cracks in the exterior plasters and walls of the mansion, also its marble had darkened and furniture deteriorated. The mansion was restored by an expert team of approximately 50 people consisting of restorers, civil engineers and architects.

The furniture of the mansion was sent to Ankara by trucks for repair, and the woodwork details that were not seen due to layers of paint were also brought to light during their restoration. Before the restoration, every area and belongings of the mansion were photographed and given a number. After the completion of the restoration work, which lasted more than a year, the repaired furniture was re-installed inside the mansion.

During the works, handwritings and figures related to Çanakkale were also found on the table in the living room of the mansion, which will reopen its doors to visitors with a reception to be held on Oct. 29, on the republic's 100th anniversary.

Mayor Murat Zorluğoğlu stated that the most comprehensive restoration work in the history of the city has been made. “We initiated the large-scale restoration here in September last year to carry out the most detailed and comprehensive restoration and landscaping of the Atatürk Mansion to date. The restoration has been completed. We will hold the republic's 100th-anniversary reception here. I am very proud that this iconic monument of Trabzon was restored and will open on a very meaningful day on the 100th anniversary of our republic.”

Restoration in details

Stating that the Atatürk Mansion is one of the most special buildings in the city, Zorluoğlu said, “This is a very old building built in the early 1900s. It has some systems that can be considered quite advanced for its time, but the most important thing is that it was the place where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, came every time he visited Trabzon and stayed during his last visit in 1937. We know that he wrote his will in this building and he donated all his property to the Turkish nation. It was a place that had serious problems from the roof to the floor. Its belongings have deteriorated under the burden of years due to lack of maintenance and repair. The restoration work was done very meticulously, like digging a well with a needle.”

Zorluoğlu also stated that especially the writings on the table in the mansion, in the living room, were very striking, and said, “There are a lot of hand-embroidered furniture. Their missing parts were also completed. Some figures, writings and pictures became visible on some items after this renovation. The writings on the coffee table in the living room are eye-catching. We will evaluate them together with historian. There is an article about Çanakkale. Therefore, hopefully historians will reveal who wrote it and when.”