Atatürk Museum Mansion

Atatürk Museum Mansion
When Atatürk arrived in Ankara on 27 December 1919, he initially used the Agricultural School and later the Railway Station Chief’s Residence as both living and working spaces. As these buildings soon proved insufficient for his needs, a search began for a more suitable residence. To provide him with a quieter and more peaceful environment, a vineyard house located in the vineyards district of Çankaya was presented to Mustafa Kemal as a gift by the Ankara Municipality on 30 May 1921.

The vineyard house was a small, rectangular structure nestled among trees, with a large terrace overlooking Ankara on its northern side. The ground floor consisted of a central stone hall with an octagonal fountain and two adjacent rooms. The upper floor followed the same plan, with a central hall and two rooms on either side.

After Atatürk married Latife Hanım in 1923, the vineyard house became inadequate for both their daily life and Atatürk’s political and military responsibilities. Expansion work began soon after. Based on a project designed by architect Vedat Tek and completed in 1924, a new two-storey section was added along the entire southern façade, ending with a semi-octagonal tower on the western side. The lower level of this addition housed a dining room and service kitchen, while the upper level contained a bathroom, bedroom, and a study for Latife Hanım. The previous bedroom on this floor was reorganized into a spacious library and study. A windbreak was added to the entrance, and the room designated as the Ambassador’s Reception Room was enlarged with a semi-octagonal bay window. The fountain in the original stone hall was removed, and the space was converted into an entrance hall.

During this expansion, a single-storey service building containing a kitchen and laundry room was added to the eastern side of the mansion and connected by a service staircase. In 1926, further repairs were carried out to resolve structural problems and improve comfort, including the installation of a central heating system. Around the same time, an additional floor consisting of six rooms and a bathroom was constructed above the laundry and kitchen area for Atatürk’s adopted children. In 1930, the tower room on the upper floor was redesigned as Atatürk’s second study.

Until the construction of the Pink Villa (Pembe Köşk) in 1932, this mansion served as Atatürk’s residence. It witnessed many significant events during the Turkish War of Independence and the early years of the Republic, and it was within these walls that Atatürk planned the foundation of the Republic and its reforms. The building was opened to the public as a museum in 1950. To halt the deterioration observed in the structure and furnishings, an extensive restoration project was undertaken between 2002 and 2007. During this process, the mansion was reinterpreted not simply as a museum but as a “residence” reflecting the period in which it was inhabited. Following the completion of the restoration, the Atatürk Museum Mansion was reopened to visitors on 19 April 2007.

Windbreak (Rüzgârlık)
The Windbreak located at the entrance of the mansion was added to the north façade during the 1923–1924 expansion designed by architect Vedat Tek.

Entrance Hall (Giriş Holü)
Originally an open stone courtyard with an octagonal fountain at its center, serving as a space for sitting and dining in the vineyard house plan, this area was enclosed during the 1923–1924 expansion and transformed into an entrance hall where guests waited before being admitted into the main rooms.

Guest Reception Room (Green Room)
On the west side of the Entrance Hall is the Guest Reception Room, which Atatürk used as his Study during the War of Independence. After the 1923–1924 expansion, it was redesigned as a formal reception room and became known as the Green Room due to its dominant color scheme. Journalists, writers, ambassadors’ wives, foreign guests, and prominent Ankara women were welcomed here during tea gatherings.

Çankaya Table
Great care was devoted to the design of the dining hall during the transformation of the vineyard house into the Presidential Residence. This room houses the historic Çankaya Table, where Atatürk discussed state matters with his colleagues, experts, and senior government officials.
Every piece of the dinner set bears the initials “GMK” (Gazi Mustafa Kemal) or “KA” (Kemal Atatürk). The presence of notebooks placed beside each plate—reflecting the original practice—demonstrates that this table served not only for dining but also as a working table.

Ambassador’s Reception Room
Located on the ground floor, this room was used for ceremonies in which newly appointed ambassadors presented their letters of credence to Atatürk.

Guest Bedroom
Situated on the upper floor to the right, with a view of Ankara, this room was used as the bedroom of Atatürk’s mother, Zübeyde Hanım. After her passing, it continued to be used as a guest bedroom and a resting room by Atatürk.

Upper Floor Hall
During the 1924 expansion, the upper level of the formerly open stone courtyard was enclosed, creating a large hall offering views of Ankara and connecting the upper-floor rooms. The billiard table imported from Paris and used by Atatürk is located in this area.

Library
Starting in 1924, this room served as Atatürk’s library and study. It houses 2,671 books in Turkish (in both Arabic and Latin scripts), French, German, and English, on a wide range of subjects. Atatürk wrote much of the “Nutuk” (The Great Speech) here.

Study Room
This second study room, arranged for Atatürk in 1930, is designed in the art-deco style and is considered one of the earliest examples of modern architectural taste in Turkey.

Bedroom
Located on the upper floor of the 1924 addition, directly above the dining room, this bedroom provides access to a private bathroom with floors and walls covered in white tiles.

Exhibition Hall
This hall presents the architectural history and development of the Museum Mansion, details of the most recent restoration, and selected items related to Atatürk’s life and personal belongings