Defeated the previous day by the inability to communicate and get around in a taxi we decided to commute in our own car. Immediately after breakfast, which was sparse by general Turkish standards experienced thus far, filling nevertheless, we set our sights for the Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk. We were astonished by the number of buses and visitors that had lined up at the entrance for security check. Most of them were students on educational tour. When I got through to the security check one of the guards asked me where I hailed from. When I mentioned India he said "barabar". There is a general air of goodwill for Indians and Bollywood films, more so the latter. Once the security was done we drove to a car park, waved on in the right direction by marshals.
We were astounded by the sheer vastness of Anitkabir. It is a 185 acre property atop a hill named Anittepe in Central Ankara. We ascended many steps to be flanked by the Independence and Freedom Towers. Beside the Independence Tower is the Female statue group of three Turkish women in traditional attire, representing the pride of Turkish women and their solemnity and determination even in grief and hardship. The Male statue group by the side of the Freedom Tower depicts three Turkish men in traditional attire. Their serious facial expressions represent the solemnity and willpower of the Turkish people. From the two Towers start the 260 meter Road of Lions, which is the first important part of the layout. The pedestrian walkway is lined on both sides by twelve pairs of lions representing the 24 Oghuz Turkic Tribes. The Road of Lions end at the Ceremonial Plaza, which can hold 15,000 people. The floor of the Ceremonial Plaza, the second important part of the layout, is paved with travertines of different colors in the pattern of a Turkish rug.
The magnificent Hall of Honour is the iconic symbol of Anıtkabir where Kemal Atatürk's tomb is located. The mausoleum is reached by ascending 42 steps from the Ceremonial Plaza. In the Hall of Honour is a symbolic 40-ton sarcophagus below which is the special tomb room. The room is octagonal in Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles with its pyramidal ceiling inlaid with gold mosaics. We were surprised that there were no restrictions inside the mausoleum, save silence and respect. Also we were not huddled and hurried through either.
The many towers in the complex ridging the Ceremonial Plaza are treasure houses of information about Turkey's emergence from the Ottoman rule, the First World War, the War of Independence and the consequent establishment of the Turkish Republic of which Kemal Ataturk was its first President. He along with his Prime Minister, Ismet Inonu, transformed Turkey from the 'Sick of Europe' to a modern nation. Ismet Inonu is buried at one end of the Ceremonial Plaza facing the Hall of Honour. The information contained in the museums is excellent education material for school children and researchers.
The Ankara Castle and fortifications is believed to have been first built by the Phyrgians in the 8th century BC and later improved upon by the Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans over 1500 years. The castle takes up the entirety of the peak which overlooks the city and the red-tiled roofs of old Ankara’s historic houses. Many houses have been rebuilt and look very pretty. There is a huge amount of reconstruction going on to transform the old houses, many of them have even crumbled. From the castle, the red tiled buildings look fascinating. Soon the entire complex will look extremely pretty and will be one of the most sought after properties in Ankara, I am sure.
The Atakuke Tower is a 400 ft high communication and observation tower with a revolving restaurant on atop that goes around 360 degrees every one hour. The landmark structure, situated atop a hill is one of the most prominent landmarks of the city. Due to ongoing reconstruction works the tower was closed to visitors. The tower has an upscale shopping complex and many restaurants at the base overlooking the Botanical Park.
The World Peace Bell is a United Nations Peace Symbol. The first Peace Bell was cast on November 24, 1952 and was an official gift from the Japanese people to the United Nations on 8 June 1954. There are now 22 replica Peace Bells around the World including in Ankara. That is placed in the Botanical Park in Ankara.
We had an appointment after lunch to do an RTPCR test, the report of which had to be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal before emplaning for India from Istanbul. The lab assistant turned up earlier than appointed to the hotel and the samples were taken in the hotel lobby. We passed on passport and flight details for her to enter in the report. Within 5 hours, as had been promised, the report was sent on WhatsApp.
The last bit of sightseeing in Ankara was a visit to the Kocetepe Mosque, which was just 500 meters from the hotel. It had rained heavily in the afternoon and the roads were slippery with water and fallen leaves. The Kocetepe Mosque was built in 20 years and consecrated in 1987. It is the largest mosque in Ankara and a prominent landmark. The design was reportedly heavily inspired directly by Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and indirectly through influences of the Selimiye Mosque in Erdine and Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul. The commodious mosque can accommodate 24,000 worshippers. The ornate interiors, superbly painted cupolas, the glittering balls of light and the superb acoustics are the highlights of the mosque.
We walked to the Cadde restaurant once again for dinner and ordered lentil soup, pulav rice and Chicken Guvec, which is basically a stew with tomato, onions, herbs and spices. The large free accompaniment arrived soon enough, sliced dill in brine, large salad bowl, bread, ezme and fries. I had the Guvec with rice, which was quite tasty, and not spicy, as is most Turkish food. When we selected the semolina pudding with ice cream for dessert we were told that it is part of the free accompaniments! When that was polished off we thanked the waiter and Ishmayel, the kind gentleman who had ushered us into the restaurant, and left. We were ready then for the morrow to make the trip to Istanbul with the repacked bags.
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