The statue has been displayed at the Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Cultural Center since 2019 and continues to attract visitors.
A statue sent to Tekirdağ at the request of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1929 is being carefully preserved as an important part of the northwestern province’s historical and cultural heritage, 97 years after its arrival.
Following the proclamation of the Republic, residents of Tekirdağ asked Atatürk to send a statue representing him to the city. Sculptor Kenan Ali Yontunç created the work with Atatürk posing for him. One of the resulting statues was sent to Tekirdağ and the other to Amasya.
Unveiled on Dec. 29, 1929, the statue stood in front of the historic governor’s office for many years and gradually became one of the city’s landmarks.
In 2019, the original was moved to the Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Cultural Center to protect it from environmental damage. It is now displayed in the center’s foyer, while a replica stands in front of the historic governor’s office.
The arrangement allows the original artwork to be preserved while maintaining its place in the city’s collective memory.
Tekirdağ Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Ömer Faruk Karaküçük told Anadolu Agency that the statue held special significance for local residents.
Describing it as more than an artwork, Karaküçük said it represented a historical legacy dating back to the early years of the Republic.
“Since the statue stood in front of the governor’s office for many years, it is a monument familiar to all residents of Tekirdağ, who have embraced it and take pride in its preservation,” he said.
Karaküçük said the decision to display a replica outdoors was made following consultations with the sculptor’s heirs in 2009 and 2012.
“After restoration work carried out by our ministry, the original statue was placed in the foyer of the Yahya Kemal Beyatlı Cultural Center to protect it from outdoor conditions and pass it on to future generations,” he said.
İsmail Can Akan, a researcher at the Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate, said their investigation into the statue’s history had uncovered important archival documents.
He said records obtained from the State Archives had helped establish the exact date of its unveiling.
“After moving the statue here, we requested several documents from the State Archives and found a record confirming its unveiling in 1929. This document established that the ceremony took place in Tekirdağ on Dec. 29,” Akan said.
The statue has been displayed at the cultural center since 2019 and continues to attract visitors, including artists.
