If there is one day that touches a deep cord in me, that is November 10th when Atatürk, the founding father of Turkish Republic passed away in 1938.
At exactly five past nine, everything in the city comes to a standstill, just as it does across the country, to honor this general, leader, and founding father of our modern Republic. Every single person, young and old, stands in silence to pay tribute to the Immortal Atatürk, who continues to live in the hearts of millions of Turks.
A photo from 10th of November, 1938 taken in Istanbul
My mother was just eight years old when Atatürk passed away. She vividly remembered how the entire city and country were gripped by profound grief when news of his death spread like wildfire across the nation. That same sorrow still touches us deeply every November 10th.
Photos from 1938 where the whole country was mourning for the loss of the great leader
Atatürk passed away in Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. The room where he spent his last days is now a museum, visited by tens of thousands of people each year on the 10th of November to commemorate the great leader who saved our country from the ashes of a crumbling empire. He is dearly missed with a deep gratitude for the legacy he left to ‘his children’.
Each year on November 10th, a ceremony is held in the room Atatürk passed away in Dolmabahçe Palace
If you are in Istanbul on November 10th, make sure to pay respect to Immortal Atatürk just like millions of Istanbulites!
