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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Ankara pictures >> Ankara Ethnograpy Museum > Ethnograpy Museum Ankara_1006.jpg
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15-SEP-2005

Ethnograpy Museum Ankara_1006.jpg

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The museum temporarily hosted the sarcophagus of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk from November 21, 1938 until November 10, 1953, during the period of the construction of Anıtkabir, its final resting place.

The place where the sarcophagus stood in the hall is marked, and surrounded by - often very impressive - pictures of the masses attending several ceremonies concerning the transfer from Istanbul and the installation in Ankara.

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Guest 30-Apr-2007 16:52
This really brings back old memories of an aged man! On the 10th November there is always a day of mourning in Turkey for Ataturk since 1938. I was in early primary school years in 1949. On 10th November, a selected set of school children from each school in Ankara used to go to this Ethnography Museum and lay wreaths on the temporary resting place of Ataturk. I was one of those selected for the visit for that year, which I considered to be a great honour. Under the leaden November skies, with my teacher and head-teacher in front, our small school contingent got into a queue in front of the Museum; we slowly went up the steps; entered this hall; my teachers put our wreath among the many other flower wreaths; we stood in silence a few minutes and feeling very sad we got out. When we got out, it had started to rain. My teacher said "Even the skies are mourning and crying out rain tears." Since then I have never been to this Museum, living long long years in Europe. Even today after more then half a century, I still wonder why it rained in Ankara that day, which is usually very very dry.