
Atatürk Museum, Thessaloniki
The Atatürk Museum in Thessaloniki is a historic house – the birthplace of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The founder of modern Turkey was born here in 1881. The three-floor property with a courtyard was built sometime before 1870.
In 1935 the Thessaloniki City Council gave it to the Turkish State, which decided to convert it into a museum. In September 1955 a bomb exploded close to the nearby Turkish consulate, also damaging the building. The damage, albeit minimal, marked the outset of an anti-Greek pogrom in Istanbul. Six years later, the Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was deposed and a Turkish court found his government guilty of ordering the bombing. Menderes apologized and offered compensation but was sentenced to death, charged, among other wrongdoings, with promoting the Istanbul pogrom. Following the pogrom, the Kemal Ataturk street in front of the house was renamed.
The building was restored in 1981 and repainted its original pink color. Most of the furniture inside is authentic. The first floor features a reception room, a sitting room, Kemal's mother's room, and the kitchen. On the second floor, visitors will find the actual room where Kemal was born. Another room on the second floor features some of Kemal's personal effects: his formal dress, smoking requisites, cutlery, cups, and other items.
All the documents relating to Kemal's schooldays are hung on the walls. Also there are photographs of him at various periods of life. A pomegranate tree planted by Kemal's father still grows in the courtyard.
As such, this fascinating museum offers an interesting glimpse into the life of one of Turkey's most influential personalities. In 1981 a replica of the house was built in Ankara.
In 1935 the Thessaloniki City Council gave it to the Turkish State, which decided to convert it into a museum. In September 1955 a bomb exploded close to the nearby Turkish consulate, also damaging the building. The damage, albeit minimal, marked the outset of an anti-Greek pogrom in Istanbul. Six years later, the Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was deposed and a Turkish court found his government guilty of ordering the bombing. Menderes apologized and offered compensation but was sentenced to death, charged, among other wrongdoings, with promoting the Istanbul pogrom. Following the pogrom, the Kemal Ataturk street in front of the house was renamed.
The building was restored in 1981 and repainted its original pink color. Most of the furniture inside is authentic. The first floor features a reception room, a sitting room, Kemal's mother's room, and the kitchen. On the second floor, visitors will find the actual room where Kemal was born. Another room on the second floor features some of Kemal's personal effects: his formal dress, smoking requisites, cutlery, cups, and other items.
All the documents relating to Kemal's schooldays are hung on the walls. Also there are photographs of him at various periods of life. A pomegranate tree planted by Kemal's father still grows in the courtyard.
As such, this fascinating museum offers an interesting glimpse into the life of one of Turkey's most influential personalities. In 1981 a replica of the house was built in Ankara.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Thessaloniki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Atatürk Museum on Map
Sight Name: Atatürk Museum
Sight Location: Thessaloniki, Greece (See walking tours in Thessaloniki)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Thessaloniki, Greece (See walking tours in Thessaloniki)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Thessaloniki, Greece
Create Your Own Walk in Thessaloniki
Creating your own self-guided walk in Thessaloniki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Thessaloniki Upper Town Walking Tour
Thessaloniki's Upper Town (Ano Poli) is the most ancient part of the city, aged approximately 2,300 years. Being also the highest part of Thessaloniki, dominated by the Acropolis with the Byzantine-/Ottoman-era fort known as Heptapyrgion (Eptapyrgio), from here on a clear day you can see way across the gulf, as far as Mount Olympus, some 80 km (50 miles) away, towering over the horizon in all... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
Thessaloniki Introduction Walking Tour
Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city as well as its second major political, industrial, commercial, and economic center.
Historically, Thessaloniki co-ruled the Byzantine Empire along with Constantinople. But its history goes back even further than that. Cassander of Macedon originally founded the city in 315 BC. Cassander named the city after his wife, Thessalonike. Thessalonike... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Historically, Thessaloniki co-ruled the Byzantine Empire along with Constantinople. But its history goes back even further than that. Cassander of Macedon originally founded the city in 315 BC. Cassander named the city after his wife, Thessalonike. Thessalonike... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Thessaloniki Waterfront Tour
The Mediterranean has always been an integral part of Thessaloniki’s appeal. The city's orientation toward the sea is largely due to the vision of Ernest Hébrard, the French urban planner and architect, who redesigned the downtown area after the devastating fire of 1917.
To really get the taste of Thessaloniki you need to visit not just its historical landmarks, but also those spots... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
To really get the taste of Thessaloniki you need to visit not just its historical landmarks, but also those spots... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles