Ankara, the capital of Turkey, boasts a spectacular monument in memory of Atatürk and the famous “Museum of civilization” that holds some of the oldest artifact on earth. Among which are some Hittite mother earth figurines and some surprisingly modern looking reindeers.
We were in Istanbul on the anniversary of Atatürk’s death and I was impressed to see traffic come to a stop and people observe a minute of silence in his memory. He brought his country into the 20th century and is still much loved. . He was a visionary. He is the one who outlawed the veil, and gave women the right to vote, 20 years before France did the same!
As for the flag, there are many legends about it, but a generally accepted interpretation is that it symbolizes the national independence war made between 1919 to 1923. That is when the Ottoman Empire collapsed and the new Turkish Republic settled after a number of wars where many people lost their lives. The red color symbolizes the blood and the star and moon, the independence.
Take me to Turkey Part 12 – Conclusion
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