Purpose
The İlkadım Monument was created by sculptor Hakkı Atamulu between 1981 and 1982 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Atatürk's birth. It was unveiled on 19 May 1981 with the participation of then President Kenan Evren and members of the National Security Council.
Symbolic Location
The monument marks the spot of the dock where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed in Samsun on 19 May 1919; that dock was later filled in with rock during the construction of the Port of Samsun and now lies roughly 250 metres inland from today's shoreline.
Composition
At the centre of the group on the stone pedestal stands Atatürk in uniform flanked by commanders, while the figures at the two ends of the monument symbolise youth. Two young female figures, removed on 20 November 1982 by presidential order on grounds of being "nude", were restored to their original position in 2000 on the instruction of Culture Minister İstemihan Talay.
Visitor Information
Located on Cumhuriyet Caddesi, the monument can be visited free of charge at any time.
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