War of Independence Museum
Encyclopedia
War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşi Müzesi), housed in the first Turkish Grand National Assembly building in the Ulus district
of Ankara
, Turkey
, displays important photographs, documents and furniture from the Turkish War of Independence
.
(Ankara stone) building was designed by architect Salim Bey, at the request of Enver Pasha, as the headquarters of the Committee of Union and Progress
. Construction of commenced in 1915 under the supervision of Turkish Army Corps architect Hasip Bey but was still not complete when the decision was made for the Turkish Grand National Assembly to gather here and the completion had to be hurried through in time for the inaugural meeting.
representative Serif Bey, who as the oldest member had been chosen as President of the Assembly, made the first speech.
Ankara representative Mustafa Kemal
followed him.
Mustafa Kemel was elected President of the Assembly at the second session of the Assembly held the following day and concluded his acceptance speech by stating, “There is no power above this Grand Assembly anymore...”
Atatürk stated, “The Grand National Assembly is the living symbol of the Turkish Nation's century’s old search for self determination and consciousness...”
The building continued to house the assembly until October 15, 1924.
and then as the School of Law before being turned over to the Turkish Ministry of Education in 1952. Work started in 1957 to convert the building into a museum and it was opened to public as the Turkish Grand National Assembly Museum on April 23, 1961.
The building was further restored, as part of celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Atatürk, by the Antiquities and Museums General Directorate of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and was reopened as the Independence War Museum on April 23, 1981.
on display alongside photographs of the members of the first Cabinet of Turkey
after the declaration of the Republic.
, Mustafa Kemal’s arrival in Samsun, the Amasya Circular
, the Sivas and Erzurum Congress
es, and the Misak-ı Millî
, and include the seal used at the Erzurum Congress.
and Second Battles of İnönü
, and include an oil painting of Mustafa Kemal's arrival in Ankara, weapons and the telephone switchboard used during the Independence War and a silver cutlery set presented to Kâzım Karabekir
at the Treaty of Alexandropol
ceremony.
hoisted onto the Grand National Assembly on 23 April 1920
Ulus, Ankara
Ulus is a quarter in Ankara, Turkey and is located at the center of the capital city. It was once the heart of old Ankara. The name means "nation" in Turkish....
of Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, displays important photographs, documents and furniture from the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
.
Construction
The one-storey andesiteAndesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
(Ankara stone) building was designed by architect Salim Bey, at the request of Enver Pasha, as the headquarters of the Committee of Union and Progress
Committee of Union and Progress
The Committee of Union and Progress began as a secret society established as the "Committee of Ottoman Union" in 1889 by the medical students İbrahim Temo, Abdullah Cevdet, İshak Sükuti and Ali Hüseyinzade...
. Construction of commenced in 1915 under the supervision of Turkish Army Corps architect Hasip Bey but was still not complete when the decision was made for the Turkish Grand National Assembly to gather here and the completion had to be hurried through in time for the inaugural meeting.
Grand Opening
Thousands gathered in Ulus Square for the opening of the assembly on April 23, 1920 and SinopSinop, Turkey
Sinop is a city with a population of 36,734 on İnce Burun , by its Cape Sinop which is situated on the most northern edge of the Turkish side of Black Sea coast, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia, in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope...
representative Serif Bey, who as the oldest member had been chosen as President of the Assembly, made the first speech.
Ankara representative Mustafa Kemal
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
followed him.
Mustafa Kemel was elected President of the Assembly at the second session of the Assembly held the following day and concluded his acceptance speech by stating, “There is no power above this Grand Assembly anymore...”
Independence War
The building continued to serve as the headquarters of the Turkish Grand National Assembly throughout the War of Independence and many significant decisions were made here;- January 20, 1921: Approval of the First Turkish ConstitutionTurkish Constitution of 1921The Constitution of 1921 was the fundamental law of Turkey for a brief period from 1921 to 1924. The first constitution of the modern Turkish state, it was ratified by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in January 1921. It was a simple document consisting of only 23 short articles...
- March 12, 1921: Approval of the Turkish National Anthem
- November 1, 1922: Abolition of the Ottoman Sultanate
- July 24, 1923: Approval of Treaty of LausanneTreaty of LausanneThe Treaty of Lausanne was a peace treaty signed in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 July 1923, that settled the Anatolian and East Thracian parts of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The treaty of Lausanne was ratified by the Greek government on 11 February 1924, by the Turkish government on 31...
- October 13, 1923: Establishment of Ankara as the Capital City of the Turkish Republic
- October 29, 1923: Declaration of Republic and the election of Mustafa Kemal as first president
Atatürk stated, “The Grand National Assembly is the living symbol of the Turkish Nation's century’s old search for self determination and consciousness...”
The building continued to house the assembly until October 15, 1924.
Later use
The building subsequently served as the headquarters of the Republican People's PartyRepublican People's Party (Turkey)
The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to...
and then as the School of Law before being turned over to the Turkish Ministry of Education in 1952. Work started in 1957 to convert the building into a museum and it was opened to public as the Turkish Grand National Assembly Museum on April 23, 1961.
The building was further restored, as part of celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Atatürk, by the Antiquities and Museums General Directorate of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and was reopened as the Independence War Museum on April 23, 1981.
Museum
The building remains open to the public, having recently undergone further renovation, as the Independence War Museum with a number of rooms currently open to view.Corridor
The main corridor which runs the length of the building is decorated with oil paintings depicting the events of the years from 1918 to 1923 and the work of the assembly in its first and the second terms.Masjid (Prayer Room)
The first room on the right of the corridor was used by the Assembly as a prayer room and has prayer rugs and Koran Rahle on display.Assembly President’s Room
The second room on the right was the private study of Mustafa Kemal and the original appearance and arrangement of the room has been preserved. The Presidential seal on display in this room is described as the most important and distinguished piece of the museum’s collection.Chambers of the Ruling Council
The first room on the left side of the corridor has been used as the Cabinet Room and the Presidential Board room. The original appearance and arrangement of the room has been preserved with the President’s pulpit and the cabinet table and chairs used at the Sivas CongressSivas Congress
Sivas Congress was an assembly of the Turkish National Movement held from 4 September to 11 September 1919 in the city of Sivas, in central-eastern Turkey, that united delegates from all Anatolian provinces of the Ottoman Empire, which was defunct at the time in practical terms...
on display alongside photographs of the members of the first Cabinet of Turkey
Cabinet of Turkey
The Cabinet of Turkey comprises the heads of the major ministries. Ministers are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister...
after the declaration of the Republic.
Committee Room
The second room on the left side of the corridor was used by the Assembly as the Committee Room for the study and investigation of various issues. The exhibition of documents, photographs and artefacts in this room relate to the Armistice of MudrosArmistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
, Mustafa Kemal’s arrival in Samsun, the Amasya Circular
Amasya Circular
Amasya Circular was a joint circular issued on 22 June 1919 in Amasya by Fahri Yaver-i Hazret-i Şehriyari Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Pasha , Hüseyin Rauf Bey , Miralay Refet Bey and Mirliva Ali Fuad Pasha...
, the Sivas and Erzurum Congress
Erzurum Congress
Erzurum Congress was an assembly of Turkish Revolutionaries held from 23 July to 4 August 1919 in the city of Erzurum, in eastern Turkey, in accordance with the previously issued Amasya Circular...
es, and the Misak-ı Millî
Misak-i Millî
Misak-ı Millî is the set of six important decisions made by the last term of the Ottoman Parliament. Parliament met on 28 January 1920 and published their decisions on 12 February 1920...
, and include the seal used at the Erzurum Congress.
Lobby (Break Room)
The third room on the left side of the corridor was used as the Assembly Lobby. The exhibition of documents, photographs and artefacts in this room relate to the opening of the Assembly, the terms of Sèvres and Lausanne Agreements, and FirstFirst Battle of Inönü
The First Battle of İnönü took place between 9 and 11 January 1921 near İnönü in present-day Eskişehir Province, Turkey during the Greco-Turkish War , part of Turkish War of Independence...
and Second Battles of İnönü
Second Battle of Inönü
The Second Battle of İnönü was fought between 26 and 31 March 1921 near İnönü in present-day Eskişehir Province, Turkey during the Greco-Turkish War , part of Turkish War of Independence...
, and include an oil painting of Mustafa Kemal's arrival in Ankara, weapons and the telephone switchboard used during the Independence War and a silver cutlery set presented to Kâzım Karabekir
Kazim Karabekir
Musa Kâzım Karabekir was a Turkish general and politician. He was commander of the Eastern Army in the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I and served as Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey before his death.-Early years:Karabekir was born in 1882 as the son of an Ottoman General,...
at the Treaty of Alexandropol
Treaty of Alexandropol
The Treaty of Alexandropol was a peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of Armenia and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey ending the Turkish-Armenian War, signed on December 2, 1920, before the declaration of the Republic of Turkey. It was the first treaty signed by Turkish...
ceremony.
Legislative Committee Room
The fourth room on the left side of the corridor was where the Committees investigated the accordance of the bills with the Constitution. The exhibition of documents, photographs and artefacts in this room relate to The Great Offensive and include an oil painting depicting Mustafa Kemal on the balcony of the Assembly Building, Independence War medals and a rug symbolizing the National Pact.Grand Assembly Hall
The Assembly Hall is located on the right side of the corridor. The original appearance and arrangement of the room has been preserved with the Assembly President’s and the Chair Councils pulpit in the middle surmounted by an Arabic script inscription reading, “Sovereignty belongs to the Nation”, benches from the Ankara Teachers’ Schools in the pulpit and side rows for the representatives, and mezzanines on the right and left for the diplomatic corps and the audience respectively with space underneath for press and kerosene lamps and stoves from neighbouring coffee houses.Administration Rooms
The fifth room on the left side of the corridor and the fifth and the sixth room on the right side of the corridor were used by the Assembly as administrative offices. The sixth room on the right side continues to serve this purpose for the museum whilst the exhibition of documents, photographs and artefacts in the other two rooms include identity cards, Mauser rifles and personal artefacts of Atatürk, members of the Assembly, given to the members by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and Independence War commanders alongside the flag with the signature of Recep PekerRecep Peker
Recep Peker , aka Mehmet Recep Peker, was a Turkish officer and politician. He served as various government ministers and finally as the prime minister.- Early life :...
hoisted onto the Grand National Assembly on 23 April 1920