The Atatürk Monument on Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) is Antalya's main civic landmark, a bronze group of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on a rearing horse at the edge of a steeply rising stone base, high above the old harbour. Officially called the National Ascension Monument, it was unveiled in 1964 and paid for entirely by donations from local people.
The Atatürk Monument at a glance
- Where: Republic Square, on the clifftop at the edge of the Kaleiçi old town, looking over the bay of Antalya.
- Created: unveiled in May 1964.
- By: sculptor Hüseyin Gezer; the stone base was designed by the Antalya architect Tarık Akıltopu.
- What it is today: the city's ceremonial heart, where national holidays and remembrance days are marked.
- Time needed: 10 to 15 minutes, longer if you linger at the viewpoint behind it.
A monument paid for by the city
In the early 1960s an association in Antalya set out to give the city a monument to Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. A design competition drew 28 entries, and the jury chose the project of Hüseyin Gezer, a sculptor who went on to make Atatürk monuments for many Turkish towns. While the bronze was being made, the city searched for a site and settled on Republic Square, on the cliffs between the old town and the modern centre.
The architect Tarık Akıltopu then designed the base, a concrete structure clad in granite brought from Yenice, which rises sharply towards the front like a ramp. The bronze group weighs around 12 tonnes and stands about six metres high. The monument was unveiled in May 1964, funded entirely by public donations, and it was thoroughly cleaned in 2014. It is known as the National Ascension Monument because the climbing base stands for the rise of the nation from the start of the War of Independence to the founding of the Republic.
What to look for
- Atatürk on horseback, the horse rearing with its front hooves in the air, right at the front edge of the base.
- The figures of young people beside him, representing the nation's youth to whom Atatürk entrusted the Republic.
- The dates along the rising base, beginning with 19 May 1919, the day Atatürk landed at Samsun and the War of Independence began.
- The way the base climbs in levels, each standing for a stage on the road from war to the new state.
- The view from behind the monument across the bay to the Beydağları mountains.
Ceremonies on the square
Republic Square is where Antalya gathers on national days. On 29 October, Republic Day, and on other holidays, wreaths are laid at the foot of the monument and the square fills with flags. On 10 November, the anniversary of Atatürk's death in 1938, people stop for a minute of silence at 9:05, the time he died, and sirens sound across the country. If you are in the city on that morning, you will see the whole square stand still.
Tips for your visit
- Come in the late afternoon: the light falls on the bronze from the west, and the viewpoint behind the monument is lovely at sunset.
- Treat the monument with respect; Atatürk is deeply honoured in Turkey, and his memory is protected by law.
- Walk to the glass railing at the back of the square and take the steps down to the lower viewing terrace for a closer look at the sea.
- Combine the square with a walk down into Kaleiçi and the old harbour.
Nearby
- Yivli Minaret: the fluted brick minaret from the Seljuk period, Antalya's best-known symbol, a few minutes' walk.
- Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi): a tower of the old city walls at the entrance to Kaleiçi, a few minutes' walk.
- Kaleiçi and the old harbour: the walled old town of Ottoman houses and narrow lanes, leading down to the Roman-era harbour.
- Hadrian's Gate: the triple Roman gate built for Emperor Hadrian's visit in the 2nd century, a short walk east along Atatürk Caddesi.
See Antalya with World City Trail
Our Antalya scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 3 hours, with about 40 minutes of walking. Republic Square, where the monument stands, is one of the stops, and the route continues through the lanes of Kaleiçi; at each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a story about the city.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour of Antalya and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Antalya scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Antalya →
Play the outdoor escape game in Antalya →
Facts checked in October 2026.