Atatürk Pavilion draws local and foreign visitors

TRABZON

The Atatürk Pavilion, where modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, stayed three times in the northern province of Trabzon, has welcomed some 315,000 local and foreign visitors in just one year.

The pavilion, owned by the Metropolitan Municipality and operating as a private museum, opened its doors to visitors again on the 100th anniversary of the republic, following a year-long meticulous restoration that began in September 2022, which aimed at preserving the architectural and artistic features of the building.

The venue, where Atatürk's belongings and photographs are exhibited, is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during summer and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during winter.

At the entrance of the pavilion, the full speech, made by Atatürk on his first arrival to Trabzon, is hung. The small room on the right was set with various photographs taken during his life and during his visits to Trabzon.

In the next room, the armchairs and sofas where Atatürk rested can be seen. On one of them, the following sentence was written on a plate: “In here Atatürk signed the document stating the donation of all his belongings to the people.” In this section, known as the "Testament Room," there is a plaque bearing Atatürk’s words about donating his wealth: "Property and wealth are burdens to me. I feel relief in giving them to my nation. A person's wealth is their own moral self. I want to give more to my great nation."

The other room was furnished as the dining room of Atatürk.

On the third floor of the venue, Atatürk’s bedroom, bathroom, aide's rooms and the study room can be seen.

Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Metin Genç said that the mansion welcomed 314,850 local and foreign visitors between Oct. 29, 2023, and Oct. 27, 2024.

Genç recalled that Atatürk visited Trabzon three times, adding: "His first visit was on Sept. 15, 1924. In 1930 and 1937, he stayed in the Atatürk Mansion, where he also wrote his testament. During these visits, he was hosted by our fellow Trabzon residents, our elders. This is why the Atatürk Mansion has become one of our city's most important attractions."

Genç highlighted that the number of local and foreign visitors increased after the restoration. "In 2020, the mansion was visited by 79,650 people, while in 2021, this number was 185,610. After reopening on Oct. 29, 2023, following the restoration, the mansion hosted 314,850 visitors. This is a significant increase, which makes us very happy," Genç said.